Wine Club February 2019 - Tinta de Toro!
It’s time for Wine Club again! We’ve gone back to the Old World this month with a region we love dearly, Toro. Winter is still going strong, so we’ve chosen a region renowned for rich, bold reds. In this piece, we’re focusing on the story of the two producers we’ve chosen. To learn more about the region more generally, including the climate, food, art and history, check out this piece.
Bodega Vega Sauco
Vega Sauco is a bodega founded by Wenceslao Gil Durantez - also known endearingly as “Wences” - in 1991. Wences’ love of winemaking began at an early age. He developed his skills in and around RIbera del Duero, but fell in love with the climate, traditions, people, and potential of Castilla y Leon and specifically, Toro.
Today he continues to make wine with the help of his daughter Patricia. His wife Maria José handles tourism to the winery. Vega Sauco is truly a family bodega!
We chose their wine “El Beybi.” The wine is just that, the youngest wine that Vega Sauco releases. The focus here is on the freshness of the fruit. While it does spend 8 months in barrels, that is definitely not the focus of this wine.
Elías Mora
Founded in 2000, Elias Mora is headed by Victoria Benavides. Nestled between the Hornija and Duero rivers, the winery takes its name from the original name of the vineyards on the property.
Their approach is simple: only natural ingredients of oak, cork and vines. They combine the wisdom of their ancestors with the appropriate modern technology to produces wines that speak of the special qualities of their vineyards, and Toro generally.
Their vines have never suffered phylloxera, which is extremely rare in Europe. As a result, their vines grow on their own root stocks, not American ones.
Finally, they take great care to allow each vintage to express itself. The harsh and intense climate of Toro imposes itself differently each year. Instead of bemoaning this, they embrace it. In doing so, they represent the perfect example of what we mean when we say we showcase “honest wines” at Grand Cata - wines that lean into what makes them special and unique.