Fariña 75 Aniversario

Toro is one of those denominations of origin that's packed with character and has a very definite wine style. Grown in its chalky brown soils, the Tinta de Toro grape discloses all its potency, but also all its elegance when handled by the finest producers, those who have spent many years in the region and know its lands like the back of their hands; such is the case with Fariña, one of the families that has done most for the positioning of Castilian reds among the best in Spain.

This Fariña 75 Aniversario is a commemorative wine which is presented in a Burgundy bottle, as was the case with the first Colegiatas in the 70s. It's a unique wine, in a limited series, that pays homage to the house's heritage but also benefits from the new-look vision of the third generation directing the winery. It's made exclusively from Tinta de Toro grapes grown on ungrafted bush vines at an altitude of around 700 metres, and it's matured in predominantly American oak barrels for 18 months.

Once uncorked, it appears a striking cherry colour, opaque and with slow-falling tears. On the nose, there's a mingling of earthy hints with those of ripe black fruit and vanilla nuances from its ageing. We're looking at a text-book Toro, a wine that delineates a denomination's history in a glass. Naturally we find volume, but also elegance, lots of elegance: it has tannins in abundance but fine ones, and its acidity remains vibrant right the way through. The spicy aromas team up perfectly with the liquorice, tobacco and cocoa whiffs, giving shape to a luscious wine, enveloping and alluring which is superb at present but undoubtedly has a magnificent future ahead.