Winemaker Notes
This wine has character, identity and expression of Tinta de Torro with elegance, freshness and complexity.
Professional Ratings
-
James Suckling
Dense black fruit character, rich silky tannins and nice freshness. The finish of is really silky in the rather coarse Toro context.
-
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2014 Victorino was also bottled and ready for tasting. 2014 was harvested earlier than 2013, it was more of a 'normal' year and the gapes were picked between September 12th and 29th, with slightly higher yields at 16.5 hectoliters per hectare. The aging was shortened to 18 months, still in 100% new French oak barrels, where the wine also went through malolactic fermentation and was racked every four months. They also consider 2014 a cool vintage for the region, but clearly a tad riper than 2013. The fruit gravitates a little towards black fruit, quite spectacular and focused, with nicely integrated spices from the elevage. The palate is medium to full-bodied with fine-grained tannins, perhaps coated by glossier fruit that give it a little more volume. This is accessible already, but should improve in bottle. 40,000 bottles produced.
-
Wine Spectator
Firm and sleek, this red delivers snappy flavors of blackberry and currant, with chocolate and graphite notes, supported by well-integrated tannins and lively acidity. Shows density and energy. Drink now through 2026.
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.