Winemaker Notes
The Eguren family of Teso la Monja are one of D.O. Toro's most important pioneers, having cofounded Bodega Numanthia-Termes with Jorge Ordóñez in 1997. Numanthia was the first exhaustive fine wine project to resuscitate Toro since before phylloxera. Toro is one of Spain's most historic winemaking regions. Tempranillo originated in the Duero Valley, and many ampelographers believe that it originated in Toro, where it is known as Tinta de Toro. These ancient clones of Tempranillo were responsible for Toro being celebrated as Spain's finest winemaking region during the Middle Ages. Toro was also Spain's only region to completely resist phylloxera due to its sandy soils. Teso la Monja is the Eguren family's new interpretation of Toro, where they sought to produce a more refined and restrained expression of Toro by focusing on northern facing vineyard sites planted on clay soils covered in canto rodado.
Professional Ratings
-
Vinous
The 2022 Almirez is 100% Tinta de Toro from several vineyards in Toro. It was aged for 14 months in 30% new and 70% used French oak. Deep garnet in color, the wine opens with balsamic and spicy aromas, joined by a hint of jam and red fruit typical of Toro’s ripeness. The palate is rich, with active but well-handled tannins, a slightly tight mid-palate and a long finish. A wine of energy and well-judged ripeness without overextraction—remarkable for the region.
-
Jeb Dunnuck
The 2022 Almirez checks in as 100% Tinta de Toro that's all from vines planted between 1955 and 2000. This darker, full-bodied effort has loads of ripe red and black fruits as well as spice, herbs, chocolate, and graphite-like aromas and flavors. It's plush and mouth-filling, with great purity and fine tannins, all making for a brilliant bottle of wine.
-
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
In Toro, 2022 was also a warm and dry year, and the wines have a little less alcohol and ripeness but not as much as in Rioja. In fact, Marcos Eguren told me he likes 2022 more in Toro than 2021. The 2022 Almirez has fruit and structure and is perfumed and aromatic, with notes of fennel and aniseed. It has a juicy, round and fleshy palate with tannins that are fine and more polished tannins than in the wines from Rioja, as the vineyards are more adapted to the warm and dry conditions. In 2022, they aged it in French oak barrels, 30% of them new, for 14 months. Rating: 93+
-
James Suckling
A brooding Toro that manages to deliver lots of fruit while it maintains freshness and good acidity. Aromas of blue fruit, dark cherries, cocoa powder, hibiscus, minerals and spices. Full-bodied and structured, showing nicely chewy tannins that are tight-grained but not aggressive. Excellent freshness.
-
Wine Spectator
A sleek red, with a lush quality to the pureed black cherry and boysenberry fruit flavors. This is dark and structured, integrating sinewy tannins and balsamico acidity, yet harmonious and appealing overall. Aromatic details of black licorice, wild sage, mineral and spice box join the fruit profile on the palate and linger on the finish. Drink now through 2032.
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.
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.