The Wine Company

Wine

Vatan Tinto de Toro 2016

100% Tinta de Toro from Finca Los Quemaos planted in 1900 on ungrafted (original) rootstock. Traditional dry farmed viticulture. Practicing organic gobelet (vaso) trained vines, cultivated completely by hand.

Sandy loam of sedimentary origins dated back to the end of the Cretaceous period. These are the oldest soils in the Spanish Duero River valley. Many of the soils have an important component of iron. Two to three meters below the surface, there is a 25 cm thick layer of red clay. Due to these sandy soils, Toro was the only continental Spanish DO to completely resist phylloxera. Bodegas Ordóñez exclusively works with ungrafted vineyards, as a result.

Continental steppe climate, with drastic temperature swings between day and night. The climate is also very dry – annual rainfall levels reach 350 L/M2

Rigorous sorting is followed by destemming without crushing. The whole berries are transferred to 3,000L open top stainless-steel temperature-controlled vats. Fermentation is started with a pied de cuve, and maceration lasts between six and eight days, no more. The wine is pressed in a vertical basket press for twelve hours and is transferred immediately to new barriques sourced from Bordeaux & Burgundy. The primary fermentation finishes in barrique and malolactic starts spontaneously. The wine rests in barrel for 20 to 24 months.

The primary fermentation finishes in barrique and malolactic starts spontaneously. The wine rests in barrel for 20 to 24 months.

Vatan is the pure representation of the oldest clone of Tempranillo in Spain, from some of the oldest ungrafted vines in the country, located in the only Spanish D.O. that completely resisted the phylloxera plague. During the Middle Ages, Toro was Spain’s most famous winemaking region. Mentioned in literature by 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 accompanied Spanish explorers to the New World. D.O. Toro was rediscovered in the 1990's by the Numanthia project, masterminded by Jorge Ordóñez and the Eguren family.

Tasting notes from Jorge Ordonez

Food Pairings

Very versatile. The better cuts of lamb. Most any meat braised or stewed. Game birds and poultry, especially duck.

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