The Spanish Wine Christopher Columbus Brought Along for The Ride
- grape adaptation, extreme climate, royal wines & more
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With November around the corner, things in the wine biz are continuing to heat up as the Christmas season (huge for retail) approaches. In parallel, winery representatives from around the world are visiting Calgary. It is such a pleasure to be able to travel vicariously through these people as they bring their wines and their wine stories with them.
The flip side is that this all feels extreme. This is very time-consuming, yet we do not want to miss out on opportunities to make connections with these very special people. With the wine store’s business growing and the upcoming season, staffing requirements have increased and it has been challenging. I won’t lie, the last couple weeks have been exhausting.
SO!
It feels fitting that I chose a featured wine from a subregion of extremes to match my state of mind!
Enter Toro.
Named after the town of the same name, Toro is approximately 70 km from the Portuguese border and about 175 km northwest of Madrid. It is part of the Castilla Y Léon wine region as seen in green on the map below.
As with most wine subregions, a key river runs through it, in this case the River Duero. It is the same river that runs through the Douro subregion where Port is made in Portugal.
The river starts in Spain where it is called the Duero. The first wine subregion it intersects is Ribera del Duero in Spain. (Fun Fact: Ribera means riverbank in Spanish.) It then continues west through the subregions of Rueda followed by Toro. As it continues to flow west, upon crossing the Spanish Portuguese border it switches name to Douro and continues about 90 km to the city of Porto.
I am curious about your earlier comment about extremes. Why do you say it is extreme, it sounds tame so far.
Toro is considered to have an extreme continental climate. A continental climate by definition means it has more extremes than non-continental climates as there are no moderating influences. But the kicker is that Toro is in Spain, where the temperature ranges are warm or hot. So, the temperatures are that much hotter than a cool or moderate continental climate.
No moderating effect, so that means the highs are more high and the lows are more low?
Yes! For example, the summers will be hotter and the winters will be colder than would be the case in a neighbouring region at the same latitude that is closer to a large body of water. The ocean absorbs heat during the hotter months and releases it during cooler months, making the highs less high and the lows less low.
Okay, I thought heat was bad for quality wine making, meaning moderating influences are essential.
Indeed. In this case the vines are grown at altitudes of 620-750 meters, such that the heat is muted by the elevation during the peak temperatures of the growing season. This also creates larger diurnal ranges (the difference between daytime and nighttime temperatures).
What are other factors that make Toro extreme?
It has low rainfall of only 350-400 mm annually, meaning Toro is extremely dry. The sun is also more intense at altitude contributing to the grape’s subregional evolution – more on that later. Lastly, spring frosts can be a problem too.
I thought spring frosts were just a Canada thing!
Interestingly, the vineyards are often planted in a north-facing direction when on slopes. This, along with the large diurnals, allows for slower ripening, fewer grapes experiencing sunburn, and cooling down of the grapes at night. All this helps the grapes retain acidity and allows more complex flavours to develop.
Speaking of grapes…what is Toro’s main grape?
Toro’s main squeeze (pun intended) is Tinta de Toro.
Huh? Never heard of it.
Although this black grape is genetically a clone of Tempranillo, many consider it to be its own indigenous variety as it has developed to adapt to its environment. It has thicker skins, giving it greater colour, higher tannins, and higher concentrations of aromas and flavours.
Because color, tannins, and flavours in the wines come from the skins!
Yes, and to be complete, the seeds (and stems if included) also provide tannins.
Red wines are dominant here. Alongside Tinta de Toro is Garnacha (aka Grenache), although it is a lot less dominant here. The subregion’s wine laws stipulate wines must include a minimum of 75% Tinta de Toro with the remainder being Garnacha. Rosé can however be made from either of these black grapes. For white wines to be labelled Toro, they can only be made with Malvasia or Verdejo.
Any interesting stories in Toro??
Always!
Throughout the 12th and 13th centuries, Toro wines were so valued they were awarded royal privileges. Having the status of royal winery gave them access to sell in cities while those from other wineries were prohibited. It is said that Toro wine accompanied Christopher Columbus to the New World during his maiden voyage.
Super cool!
I know! Now I want royal privileges!
Like wearing a tiara and people bowing to you?
For a start. 😊
This leads to my wine journey question. How does Toro fit into your wine journey?
Mainly that I want to be the queen of everything wine and get royal privileges, of course!
Seriously, I have been to the subregions on either side of the Toro, Douro in Portugal was one of the first wine subregions I visited when I got out of university. This started a lifelong wine tourism tendency for me, finding excuses to visit wine regions, dragging my travel mates along to wineries in the most (wine) obscure places, including even Mexico!
Wine life, baby!
I also visited the Duero in 2017. I was very impressed with the wines, the scenery, the people, and of course the Duero River.
Sounds like you need to add Toro to your list!
To whom would you recommend your featured wine?
To the person who loves full bodied reds, and for Spanish wine lovers, particularly lovers of Ribera del Duero, as there are clear similarities between the two subregions. Also to those wine drinkers who are fans of wines aged in new oak. (a topic for another time.)
Winetaculor! I will scroll down to learn all about it!
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Quietud ‘Corral de Campanas’ Tinta de Toro 2021 from Toro, Castilla Y Léon, Spain
Style: Dry Full Body Old World Red Wine
Varieties: 100% Tinta de Toro
This bold yet plush slightly rustic wine has notes of red and black plum and cherry, raspberry, anise, dark chocolate, leather, and a hint of tomato leaf. This wine has moderately high, grainy tannins and a long finish.
Best pairings: Grilled lamb chops, BBQ beef steak, Hearty game dishes, Roasted duck with fig sauce, Smoked Chorizo, Jamon Ibérico, Lentil dishes, Cheese: Manchego & Pecorino
Serving Temperature: 16-18 degrees Celsius
Serving Tips: Decant. It can be enjoyed within 15 minutes, although the wine will continue to evolve.
Price: ~$32 Cdn
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SOURCES:
AdministradordeQuietud (2021) Inicio - QuintaQuietud. https://quintaquietud.com/en/.
DO. Toro - Metas y OG Image | bodegasfarina.com (no date). https://www.bodegasfarina.com/en/toro-denominacion-de-origen?utm_source=chatgpt.com.
Decanter Magazine. (2022) Toro: Independent spirit and elegant strength. https://www.decanter.com/sponsored/toro-independent-spirit-and-elegant-strength-473440/?utm_source=chatgpt.com.
Decanter Magazine. (2023) DO Toro – Modernity anchored in tradition. https://www.decanter.com/sponsored/do-toro-modernity-anchored-in-tradition-497488/?utm_source=chatgpt.com.
Harding, J. and Robinson, J. (2023) The oxford companion to wine. Oxford, United Kingdom: Oxford University Press.
Historia – D.O. Toro (no date). https://www.dotoro.com/historia/.
Wine & Spirit Education Trust (2021) D3: Wines of the World - An accompaniment to the WSET Level 4 Diploma in Wines. Version 1.2. London: Wine & Spirit Education Trust.