Reds From Toro: Old Vines and New Knowhow 

BY JOAQUÍN HIDALGO | DECEMBER 05, 2023

In the town of Toro, there is a balcony overlooking the Duero River next to the Colegiata church, which has been a famous landmark since the 12th century. The town was built on a hill that rises about 300 feet above the river. As a result, the view from the top is quite impressive. Rolling plains stretch as far as the eye can see, with vineyards scattered here and there and a few patches of forest between the fields. Thick, dark clouds hung above during my visit in early September 2023, which were very welcome at that time of year, especially in the dry farming areas.

The city of Toro is situated atop a Hill and offers commanding views of the vineyard area. The Valdefinjas region, renowned for its old vines, is visible both in the foreground and background of the image.

At the end of summer, the swallows soar acrobatically around the local cliffs. Quiet afternoons in this old Castilla y León town are punctuated by the sounds emanating from the cafés and tapas bars. Many locals opt to sip on Toro reds, occasionally alternating with cold beers to beat the heat.

In the La Colegiata bar, just a few feet from the balcony, they advertise the house wine, “naturally made”. It’s a common sight in Toro – a small town with a population of 8,500 – where almost everyone has some connection to the wine industry. Wherever you go and whomever you talk to, they invariably have a vineyard, produce wine or their parents have a small patch of vineyard and make their own wine. Toro has a long history and is known for its production of reds, which is the primary focus here.

This corner of Castilla y León has a rich history in winemaking, dating back to pre-Roman times and especially during the reign of the Castilla monarchy. Toro wines were licensed for sale across Spain and earned a prominent place in Spanish winemaking folklore. That fame is associated with a distinctive yet consistent style of wine – a potent red made from Tempranillo grapes – which locals, and with no small measure of pride, call Tinto de Toro. This wine boasts intense tannins and high alcohol content, rounded out by a rich, energetic character. 

During the 19th and 20th centuries, vineyards across Europe were severely affected by the phylloxera outbreak, leading to a drastic change in the style of wines produced. However, vines in Toro survived unscathed. This was thanks to sandy soils (with more gravel the closer you get to the Duero River) that make it difficult for the insect to latch to the roots of the plants. As a result, old vines are the rule. “Old vines, of course,” boasted Rubén Alfajeme from the Toro Regulatory Council. “They tend to be at least 100 years old, any more recent are considered young.”

The Vineyards of Toro

I spent a few days visiting several fascinating vineyards. In the Valdefinjas region, the technical team at Numanthia showed me some of their most treasured vines. At 8:30 in the morning, we walked across beach-like stretches of dry sand to the vineyards as the clouds that shed their rain the night before drifted over the hills. There, the vines are planted in the tresbolillo style – where one plant is placed in the center of an old hexagonal shape that can be plowed in three directions. These long-suffering, 150-year-old plants have protected their meager bunches of grapes from the rising sun. I knelt down to try a few of them and found they had thick skins and were sweet with mild acidity, intense and flavorful. “These ones are almost ready. We’ll harvest next week,” said Jesús Jiménez, the technical director at Numanthia. “That way, we’ll avoid any potential dehydration, which is a big danger in Toro.”

In another plot, some neighbors were already harvesting for their homemade wine. “They must be the Benilde Martín Garretas. They come from Barcelona about this time of year to pick their grapes. They’re over 80 years old and drive here every year to harvest and make their wine for the year,” says Jiménez. I was astounded. Apparently, this is common practice for the owners of the nearby rows of vines. The parcel is called Las Peñicas, was planted about 200 years ago and is considered one of the oldest in Toro.