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	My Rating (circle) : Date Printed: 5/19/2013

Bodegas Cal Blanca Toro 2007

Bodegas Cal Blanca Toro 2007 (search item no. 102506) The Wine Advocate rating: 90 points PRICE ON 5/19/2013: $14.99 ratings pedigree (past vintages): 2009 International Wine Cellar rating: 90 points

Winemaker's Notes: This 100% Tinta de Toro (aka Tempranillo) from 80- to 100-year-old vines produces a gorgeous purplish wine which has been aged in French oak for 6 months followed by three months in large concrete tanks. It wafts into aromas of black pepper, minerals, and ripe berries. On the palate this structured wine exudes spice, earth, and black cherry. It is a delicately rich and balanced wine with a lengthy finish and should drink well for the next five years.

My Notes:

About Bodegas Cal Blanca: Cal Blanca, means White Chalk in the English language. Toro, located west of Ribera del Duero is slightly warmer due to its lower elevation and alluvial (river stones/sand) soil composition. Limestone and Chalk are quite rare in Toro. In fact as an importer for the last 10 years and travelling extensibly throughout the vineyards of this region, I have never seen limestone before. Limestone and chalk retains less heat than sand or river stones; allowing the grapes to retain more acidity due to the slower ripening process of the grapes. The limestone/ chalk quality of this vineyard is the most important factor in making this wine taste "cooler" than its neighbors’.