Sabor Real Toro 2008
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Robert
Parker
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2008 Sabor Real was produced from 70+-year-old estate vines. Dark ruby-colored, it offers up a splendid bouquet of crushed rock, spice box, tobacco, lavender, black cherry, and blackberry. On the palate it is full-bodied, sweetly-fruited, spicy, and plush. This lengthy effort can be enjoyed now and over the next 6 years. It is an outstanding value that over-delivers big-time.
This wine is crafted from a small network of 19 vineyard owners. Their wish was to make wines with the old vines that were planted by their grandfathers or their parents. What then seemed a dream, today is a reality that is reflected in the winemaking facilities and the latest in technology. In 2005 the winery was built and one year later, the cooperative launched the first of its wines. Rosa Maria Zarza was the person selected to make their wines and to control the vineyard. An experienced winemaker that makes wines in different appellations all around Spain but it was in this region, in Toro, where she made her first wine. They own 500 acres of vineyards in different districts in the appellation. Additionally, they only make wines with their own grapes, in order to control the quality. 40% of the vines are at least 80 years old and none of their vines are younger than 20 years. The Toro appellation is in the North West area of Spain, it is crossed by Duero River. The main variety is Tinta de Toro, a clone from the Tempranillo grape. There is a high percentage of pre-phylloxera vineyards in this region. Phylloxera is a microscopic louse that lives on and eats the roots of grapes, it destroyed most of the vineyards throughout Europe in the late 19th century. Phylloxera didn’t arrive in this are because of their sandy soils which the louse cannot live in. Toro wines are powerful and higher in alcohol, often with a distinctly roasted, meaty character.
Notoriously food-friendly, long-lasting and Spain’s most widely planted grape, Tempranillo is the star variety of red wines from Rioja and Ribera del Duero. The Rioja terms Joven, Crianza, Reserva and Gran Reserva indicate both barrel and bottle time before release. Traditionally blended in Rioja with Garnacha, plus a bit of Mazuelo (Carignan) and Graciano, the Tempranillo in Ribera del Duero typically stands alone. Somm Secret—Tempranillo claims many different names depending on location. In Penedès, it is called Ull de Llebre and in Valdepeñas, goes by Cencibel. Known as Tinta Roriz in Portugal, Tempranillo plays an important role in Port wine.
Spain's remote, high elevation Spanish wine zone between the regions of Bierzo and Ribera del Duero produces intense, full-bodied reds made from Tempranillo, locally called Tinta de Toro. This local variant has adapted to the region’s climatic extremes and recognizing its potential, top producers from Ribera del Duero and Rioja have invested heavily in its vineyards.