2017 Vatan Tinta De Toro
2017 Vatan Tinta De Toro Hailing from a small patch of land in central Spain, the Toro DO (region) produces a delicious wine called Tinto Del Toro. Synonymous with Tempranillo, the region’s chalky soil imparts some characteristics resulting in richness not normally experienced by other Tempranillos.
Toro reds must contain a minimum of 75% Tempranillo, and use other blending grapes such as Garnacha. The wine is often aged in American oak for varying lengths of time. Considered the “Noble Grape of Spain,” Tempranillo has beautiful notes of plum, berries, cherries, and tomato on the nose and palate. One will also taste notes of tobacco, vanilla, herb, and leather resulting from oak aging.
This wine typically throws medium plus tannins, lower acid, with relatively medium alcohol. Pair this wine with red sauce pastas, polenta, pizza, and Mexican food. Reasonably priced, this wine is one to enjoy frequently.
Bodega Ordóñez
Long ago, the town of Toro was famous for producing the finest red wine in Spain and was mentioned in the historic literature of Alfonso IX (King of León, 12th c.), Juan Ruiz the Archpriest of Hita, Quevedo, Luis de Góngora, and Miguel de Cervantes. In 14th Century Sevilla, the sale of any foreign wine was prohibited, save the wines of Toro. These wines also accompanied Spanish explorers to the New World.The legendary Duero River plays a very important role in the history of D.O. Toro. The Duero deposited Toro’s characteristic sandy soils in this region thousands of years ago. These sandy soils allowed D.O. Toro to completely resist the phylloxera plague, and as a result, Toro was the only Spanish region that completely resisted the phylloxera, and is home to the highest concentration of ungrafted vines in Spain.
Jorge Ordóñez is Toro’s most important modern pioneer. When Jorge first traveled to Toro in 1991 he discovered no more than five cooperative wineries. He also found acres of incredible pre-phylloxera vineyards, planted on their original rootstock. In 1995, Jorge first travelled to Toro with the Eguren family of Rioja, in hopes of founding a winery with them. In 1997, Bodegas Numanthia was founded by Jorge and the Eguren family and become an icon for this historic region and the production of world class wines from authentic vineyards.
After the sale of Numanthia, Jorge founded Bodegas Ordóñez, his personal project in D.O. Toro. As Ordóñez himself says, it is an honor and privilege to produce wines from the oldest clones of Tempranillo, planted and cared for with the most traditional methods of viticulture. At Bodegas Ordóñez, Jorge pioneers and champions D.O. Toro as one of the world’s finest red wine regions.Toro is a special region for Jorge and the rest of Jorge Ordóñez Selections, because it is the perhaps the region that best embodies the Ordóñez philosophy – producing wine from the oldest clones of Spain’s indigenous varieties. The local indigenous grape, Tinta de Toro, is Spain’s oldest and most original clone of Tempranillo.