Pintia Toro: Tasting the changes

Gonzalo Iturriaga, technical director of winemaking for the Tempos Vega Sicilia group, recently hosted a vertical tasting of Pintia at Berry Bros & Rudd in London. It was a chance to compare six vintages between 2001 and 2014, during which time there have been some big changes at the Toro estate.

According to Iturriaga, the continental climate in Toro has some Mediterranean aspects. ‘It’s a region with huge personality, though the wines need time in bottle. That’s why we release them with five years of age’, explains Iturriaga.

The vineyards are around 700 metres above sea level, and the stony soils with gravel underneath have a sandy surface. Planting density is very low at 1,000 vines/hectare, the bush vines planted at intervals of 3m x 3m due to the scarcity of water. Around half of the vines date from before the arrival of phylloxera.

The estate instituted an 11-year programme of massal selection, choosing the best vines as the basis for new plantings. Currently, Pintia owns 100 hectares but is looking for another 10ha, in specific zones. The intention is to produce 250,000 bottles a year.

‘We like to produce 25% more wine than we will ultimately need.’

In this hot climate, grapes ripen fast and acidity can fall rapidly. ‘We need to pick when the fruit is “al dente”. In fact the most complicated task in Toro is choosing when to harvest’, says Iturriaga.

A changing style

In the cellar, the winemaking style has changed. ‘In 2001 we used to produce huge wines. From 2008 we started to make more elegant wines, with less extraction and some American oak [around 25%] which works well in Toro.’

But according to Iturriaga, it’s relatively slow work: ‘every project you work with needs 8-10 years to discover what works best.’

In 2018 a further change was the refurbishment of the Pintia winery, following similar changes at Vega Sicilia winery. Iturriaga says this will allow him to work towards greater refinement.

At harvest the grapes are put into a cool chamber and cold-macerated for soft extraction. The oaking regime has changed in recent years. ‘We used to overdress Pintia with oak in the warm vintages’, says Iturriaga. Now in hot years they use less new oak and reduce the toast of the barrels.

Iturriaga has around 40% of the barrels he needs ready before harvest, and then commissions the rest later to suit the style of the wine. ‘From September the cooper at Vega Sicilia is working like crazy’.

Tasting Pintia Toro

About Toro

Toro is a small appellation in Castilla y Leon, situated on the Duero River, not too far from the border with Portugal. It was awarded DO status in 1933.

Producers 61

Hectares under vine 5,642

Main grape variety Tinta de Toro (a clone of Tempranillo) accounts for 99% of plantings. White grapes are just 350ha of the total

Top producers Campo Eliseo, Mauro, Numanthia, Pintia, Teso la Monja

About Tempos Vega Sicilia group

Vega Sicilia Founded in 1864 in Ribera del Duero by Don Elcoy Lecanda. It has been owned by the Alvarez family since 1982. 210 hectares.

Pintia was the third acquisition of the Alvarez family after Alion (1991) and Oremus in Tokaji (1993). The first commercial wine was launched in 2001.

Macan (2016) The group’s latest project, a joint venture with the Rothschilds in Rioja.

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