A global wine phenomenon, the Torres family makes
wines around the world and in all styles and prices, such that there is a
Torres wine that will suit and satisfy every wine drinker, whether from the
humble, great value ‘Sangre de Toro’ ‘Bull’s Blood’ red, to the world class,
Bordeaux first-growth beating ‘Mas La Plana’ Cabernet Sauvignon. Working with wine for over three centuries,
the Torres family established their first winery in Vilafranc del Penedes in
1870 specialising in Catalan wines.
Nowadays Torres has vineyards and winery operations in the Central
Valley of Chile and Sonoma County in California. In Spain,
Torres has exploited the varieties, styles and terroirs of ‘home’ with a
proliferation of wines from the north-eastern areas, and Torres is the best and
modern expression of wines from Catalonia
and the Penedes. However, of late, the
Torres family has begun to reach further in their native land, seeking to make
wines that reflect regionality and indigenous, ancient varieties. Many of Regional Wines clients will have
become regular buyers of the Torres ‘Celeste’ Ribera del
Duero.
In the same vein, w offer two of Torres new labels that demonstrate the
wider Spanish reach that also offer incredible value:
Torres
‘Ibericos’ Rioja Crianza 2006
Named after the Iberian Peninsula,
“a land of lonely oaks and ancient vineyards”, the Torres ‘Ibericos’ is an
ideal entry level wine to explore the facets of Rioja, arguably the most well-known
of Spanish table wine regions. This is a
‘Calificado Rioja’, the regulations for which allow the sourcing of grapes from
throughout the overall Rioja region.
Thus this wine captures the character of the cooler Rioja Alta and
Alavesa areas which bestow finesse, along with the Rioja Baja area which
provides strength and power. Made from
100% Tempranillo fermented to 14.0% alc, and aged 12 months in American and
French oak, this has a black red colour with an elegant but intense bouquet
black and red berry fruits with an attractive, spicy oak lift. A finely constructed wine, the flavours of
aromatic berry fruits and sweet, spicy oak vanillins combine very well with
fine, smooth tannins and a fresh, acidic edged palate that is lively and
lush. Classical fruit fragrances
intermingle with oak cedar and toast notes, very much as hallmark Rioja should
show. Enjoy this now and over the next
5+ years with charcuterie, stews and roasts.
Torres ‘Salmos’
Priorat 2006
It
comes as no surprise that Torres would be part of the renaissance of this
unique region, where terroir is expressed so clearly. The sum of the suntrap hillside vineyard
sites, arid climate and ‘licorella’ slate soils is distinctive minerality
juxtaposed to intense, savoury black fruit jam flavours. Modern expressions of Priorat tame the power
and rawness of the past, yet the brooding complexity that is the signature of
the wines remain evident. The Torres
‘Salmos’ is made from Garnacha, Syrah and Carinena sourced from estate owned
vineyards in Porrera and Lloar, fermented to 14.75% alc and aged 11 months in
new French oak. The resultant wine has a
dense, almost impenetrable black red colour with youthful, purple hues. Full and dense on the nose with black ink,
savoury and spicy game and earth aromas, the palate is rich, broad and
mouthfilling, combining robustness and sweetness with rounded, but substantial
tannins and a good measure of acidity.
The new oak adds spice and lift in another layer of interest. This is a serious, but friendly wine that
requires flavoursome game meat to accompany it.
Its construction will enable it to live 8-10 years easily.