2020 San Roman 750ML

2020 San Roman 750ML

2020 San Roman 750ML Bodegas San Román, Toro (Castilla y León, Spain) “San Román” 2020 ($70, Aurelio Cabestrero / Grapes of Spain): This is consistently one of Spain’s best wines. Although dozens of others are more expensive, the number that are better, more consistent, and enjoyable over a very long term is close to zero. It has not suffered at all from the introduction of another release from this bodega above this wine’s level, namely, “Cartago Paraje del Pozo,” which is truly marvelous. Common sense would tell you that such a move would suck much of the best juice out of this wine, and that the ratio of the very best French Oak barriques used for it would go down, but you’d be less than half right on both counts. Very little Cartago Paraje del Pozo is made, and this “San Román” bottling remains ultra-serious, concentrated, and complex, but with a little less new oak showing in the finished wine than in some previous vintages. San Román is better than ever in recent years, all things considered, as it is more enjoyable early on, while still having plenty of spice from oak and just a touch of extra grip from wood tannin. This vintage is among the most complete and convincing ever made, with plush but moderately ripened fruit, very well measured toast and spice notes, and superb texture that manages to seem both sturdy and silky after an hour of airing. This is phenomenal Tempranillo. 95 WRO

This bottling of San Román is composed entirely from old vine tempranillo, with these vines sixty to over one hundred years of age! The farming is certified organic and again, incorporating some biodynamic principles. The wine is aged for two years in cask, made both from American and French wood, with one quarter of the barrels new for each vintage. The wine offers up a stunning young nose, soaring from the glass in a mix of black cherries, sweet cassis, cigar wrapper, a lovely touch of tempranillo spice tones, dark chocolate, a fine base of soil and nutty new oak. On the palate the wine is deep, pure and extremely elegant in profile for Toro, with a lovely core of fruit, great soil signature and grip, ripe, fine-grained tannins and a very long, complex and impeccably balanced finish. This is one of the finest young examples of Toro I have ever tasted! The wine is 14.5 percent octane, but relatively light on its feet and is going to be absolutely magnificent once it is fully mature. 2033-2085.

The 2019 rendition of this (consistently outstanding) wine is certainly up to past vintages, and may very well surpass the 2018, which was more open and less oaky when I tasted it in late October of 2021. I hasten to note that the fruit density of this 2019 is clearly up to the challenge of absorbing its oak load and attaining excellent equilibrium for many years thereafter. The fact remains that equilibrium will require more time for this wine to attain, so lucky readers who have access to both bottles would be well advised to uncork the 2018 first and hold this in reserve. It shows spicy, toasty oak notes with suggestions of freshly roasted coffee beans and cocoa powder around a core of intense dark cherry fruit. Tasted again after the bottle had been standing open and uncorked for 24 hours, the fruit hadn’t dried out at all, and that underlines what a solid bet this is for positive development over time. 94pts WRO

The palate is packed with generous fruit. Notes of chocolate from the oak are married to cherry and elderberry fruit, tobacco smoke and cedar. Silky texture with grip but also great finesse. Great persistence. Power and elegance combined. Drink 2023-2038 95pts Decanter

I can remember first tasting these wines. It was the week between Christmas and New Year’s some ten years ago when two Spanish gentlemen came to visit me. I tasted their new wines and was blown away. I figured I had time to make a decision and would reach out in the new year to secure the wines. When I called back the wines were gone, every last bottle had been sold and I was pissed. I learnt my lesson and have never allowed that to happen again.

The two men who came to taste me were none other than possibly Spain’s and many consider Europe’s finest Wine Maker Mariano Garcia and his son Eduardo. Mariano Garcia is none other than the Winemaker of Vega Sicilia. Spain’s greatest wine, their first growth. Once the son of a vineyard worker, he happened to pass by the winemaker’s office one day when they needed another taster. With no knowledge of wines, he was the only one to pick out the two identical wines in a blind tasting of 20. He went on to make 28 vintages of Vega Sicilia.

The wines we were tasting were his new venture with his son Eduardo. They were making wine in the region of Toro, Spain. During a Charlie Rose TV broadcast Robert Parker was interviewed and asked, “Which up and coming wine region will make world-class red wines?”  His answer, “The Toro region of Spain.”  The new Winery is called Bodegas Y Viñedos Maurodos and their flagship wine is called San Roman. This is one of Spain’s greatest wines and one of my all-time favorites.

We have just received the 2020 San Roman, and the wine is better than ever. Vinous has given the wine 95 points, which is a huge score for the vintage. WRO comments; “This is consistently one of Spain’s best wines.” John Gillman; “ This is one of the finest young examples of Toro I have ever tasted!” San Roman receives more consistent and critical praise than any other wine I know of in Europe. A no-brainer buy for lovers of full-bodied reds. Our price is strong.