Winemaker Notes
Alabaster is the Eguren family's representation of the elegance that can be achieved in wines made from the oldest Tinta de Toro vineyards. Profound balance, silky texture, and maximum expression of terroir.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2020 Alabaster was produced with Tinta de Toro grapes from 11.5 hectares of ancient ungrafted vines that yielded 1,000 liters per hectare in 2020. The grapes were hand-destemmed and fermented in open tanks for 19 days, followed by malolactic in bottle and 18 months in new French oak barrels. It has 14.99% alcohol and a pH of 3.56. 2020 is a very approachable vintage, a year with finesse, elegance and balance, and this Alabaster is perfumed and floral and feels light on its feet despite the power, concentration and clout. It has a beautiful nose and the new oak is not overpowering despite being noticeable. It should develop nicely and for a very long time in bottle. It has great balance and is one of the finest vintages of Alabaster if not the best...
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Wine Spectator
Fragrant, with candied violet and black licorice notes on the nose, transitioning to accent a lavish display of blueberry, boysenberry pie, Earl Grey and cocoa powder on the palate. Though full-bodied and expressive, this is harmonious and precise, with firm tannins swathed in the silky flavor profile. The spiced finish is long and creamy. Drink now through 2035.
Teso La Monja was founded in 2007 by Marcos and Miguel Angel Eguren, the fourth winemaking generation of the Eguren family from San Vicente de la Sonsierra in Rioja Alavesa. As they have been growing Tempranillo in Rioja Alavesa since the late 1800’s, the Eguren family fell in love with D.O. Toro when they first travelled there with Jorge Ordóñez, seduced by the region’s original clone of Tempranillo and ungrafted vines.
Jorge Ordóñez and the Eguren family were the original founders of Bodegas Numanthia, which was responsible, along with their current work, for the resurrection of D.O. Toro as one of Spain’s preeminent wine regions. After the sale of Numanthia in 2007, the Eguren family founded Teso La Monja as a new challenge for the family – finding the elegance in the wines of Toro.
The family selected vineyards in the northernmost part of D.O. Toro that have a much higher proportion of rounded stones than what is typical. This produces extremely silky, elegant wines. The winemaker, Marcos Eguren, is considered by many to be the finest winemaker in Spain. His son, Eduardo Eguren, the fifth generation, also works as the winemaker at Teso La Monja.
Spanish red wine is known for being bold, heady, rustic and age-worthy, Spain is truly a one-of-a-kind wine-producing nation. A great majority of the country is hot, arid and drought-ridden, and since irrigation has only been recently introduced and (controversially) accepted, viticulture has sustained—and flourished—only through a great understanding of Spain’s particular conditions. Large spacing between vines allows each enough resources to survive and as a result, the country has the most acreage under vine compared to any other country, but is usually third in production.
Of the Spanish red wines, the most planted and respected grape variety is Tempranillo, the star of Spain’s Rioja and Ribera del Duero regions. Priorat specializes in bold red blends, Jumilla has gained global recognition for its single varietal Monastrell and Utiel-Requena has garnered recent attention for its reds made of Bobal.