2012 Toro

Vines 25 years old. Deep purple crimson. Dark, sweet and dusty aroma. Intense aroma, lightly minty dark fruit. Thickly textured but velvety. A little bit hot at the back of the throat. Fills the mouth and finishes chalky and dry with a peppery sensation. Needs more time and the only thing that brings it down is the heat of the alcohol. It contradicts so many of the traits I value in wine – refereshment, elegance, and yet it still is a rather delicious wine. (JH)

It looks like 2012 closes a trio of very good vintages in Toro. The 2012 Pintia is produced with the local strain of Tempranillo called Tinta de Toro from their 100 hectares of head-pruned, mostly ungrafted (75%), old vineyards (40 to 60 years of age). The destemmed grapes fermented in oak vats, malolactic was in barrique, and the aging was in new 75% French and 25% American oak barrels. The nose is very fruit-driven and fresh; they usually start harvesting around September 15th to keep the freshness. It has some balsamic aromas, red and dark berries, as well as some orange peel characteristics, hints of chocolate, vanilla, smoke and roasted notes; the wine is still very young and in need of some bottle age, but will not be sold until the end of 2016. The palate is full-bodied, structured, largely built, powerful, concentrated, and slightly rustic with abundant tannins and good overall freshness. When tasted, new to the Alión and Vega Sicilia, the rusticity of the wine is obvious and the oak-related, spice and smoke aromas grow as the wine sits in the glass. It should develop and age nicely in bottle, but it feels too young now. 180,000 bottles produced.