Bodegas y Vinedos Maurodos San Roman Toro 2019

Alcohol: 14,5%

Grape(s): Tempranillo

Localization: Toro, Castilla y León, Spain

Tasting Notes: Simply put, this is one of the great wines of the world. Deep violet. Heady black and blue fruit, incense, vanilla, and floral oil scents take on suggestions of vanilla and licorice with air. Palate-coating, spice-accented cassis, cherry-vanilla, mocha, and fruitcake flavors are underscored by a vein of juicy acidity. Manages to come off both rich and energetic. The impressively long, smoky finish is framed by steadily building tannins.

The Domain: Bodegas y Vinedos San Roman is a family-owned winery that was founded by iconic winemaker Mariano Garcia in 1998 as Bodegas y Vinedos Maurodos. His vision was to produce world-class wines that balanced freshness and longevity in the bottle against the renowned power of the region's wines. The vineyards are planted mainly with Tinta de Toro, a local clone of Tempranillo that has adapted to the local region. In general, the vines offer smaller berries and bunches than Tempranillo in other regions, and yields wines that offer deep colors, intense aromas, and robust structure. Prima, their entry-level wine, has started to incorporate a higher percentage of Garnacha in the blend and is now aged partially in large wooden vats as opposed to barrels.