Winemaker Notes
Vatan Tinta de Toro is made with the Tinta de Toro grape, an ancient clone of Tempranillo that is native to D.O. Toro. It is because of this noble grape that the wines of Toro were famous in the 14th, 15th, and 16th centuries. The grapes for Vatan come from a vineyard planted in 1943, with some grapes within this vineyard that were planted in 1910. The soils are very sandy, intermixed with alluvial gravel. Six to nine feet below the surface, there is a red clay subsoil, which acts as a reservoir of moisture, which is crucial in this arid region. After fermentation in stainless steel, it is transferred to new French oak barrels where it undergoes malolactic fermentation and is aged for 22 months.
Professional Ratings
-
Wine Spectator
This rich red leads off with smoky notes of espresso and tar, accenting a core of ripe currant, licorice, and iron. The palate is dense, with muscular tannins and balsamic acidity. Austere but harmonious.
-
James Suckling
Wow. Gorgeous aromas of crushed violets, lavender and hot stones. Hints of roasted meat, too. Full body, fine tannins and a medium finish.
Verdejo is one of Spain’s most historic white grapes, as it has been in production since the Roman times, several thousand years ago. After over fifteen years as the lead producer of quality Verdejo in Spain, Ordóñez chose Puras, Valladolid, as the best appellation within Rueda for growing Verdejo. This isolated corner of the D.O. is home to sandy soils intermixed with river stones that were deposited tens of thousands of years ago when the Duero river was several hundred miles wide. Due to the sandy soils, this sub-appellation of Rueda, shaped like Italy’s boot, resisted the phylloxera. Bodegas Ordóñez takes advantage of this unique terroir to produce wine from its ungrafted vineyards, the oldest of which was planted in 1885. Jorge’s philosophy is to age all of their wines sur lie and barrel fermented in both stainless steel and large format, mostly used French oak.
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.