Winemaker Notes
The entry-level Toro from Vetus is sourced entirely from estate Tempranillo planted on loamy clay soils in 1990. The fruit is harvested by hand in early October, destemmed and lightly crushed for fermentation in stainless steel tanks. It is aged for 9 months in French (50%) and American (50%) oak barrels.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The entry-level red 2017 Flor de Vetus comes from the vines around the winery, mostly Tempranillo with a little Garnacha. It fermented in stainless steel and matured in oak barrels for nine months. It's easy to see the more rustic and earthier character of Toro if tasted next to their wines from Ribera del Duero (Finca Villacreces). The fruit is darker and there is more tannin, but there is good freshness and balance too, and it finishes very tasty, with an almost salty twist. I'd say this is a triumph over the conditions of the year, even if it was not as challenging in Toro as it was in Ribera.
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.