2004 Bodegas Marco Real Taurus Toro DO Spain. $11.00 at Beekman, Glen Rock, NJ. Imported by Eric Solomon Selections, Charolette, NC.
Bright red color, medium hue, forward floral and berry aromas with a bit of menthol, very good fruit, spice and floral notes, light oak, medium tannins and acidity, very good balance, long, silky finish, surprisingly complex. I found the 2003 version too oaky -- eight months in new French oak -- but here the oak complemented all the other elements very nicely. A touch of elegance from an area which is often rough and ready to my taste. And what a bargain. 3*+.
Notes:
This is the second vintage of a wine made exclusively for Eric Solomon. It is 100% Tinto de Toro, the local variant of Tempranillo that has adapted to local soils and conditions. It was aged in 100% new French oak for four months.
The Toro DO was established in 1987 and is located in the western part of central Spain, just west of the Rueda DO. Toro, Rueda, Bierzo, Cigales and Ribera del Duero are the five Denominacións de Origen within the larger Castilla y Leon region. Referred to as Tierra del Pan (the Bread Country) for the expansive tracts of wheat fields. The town of Toro is forty miles east of the Spanish-Portugese border. The “extreme continental” climate features cold winters (low temperatures around 10º F) and hot, dry summers (highs reach 105º F) that are somewhat moderated by the 2000-2500 foot altitude. Average rainfall sixteen inches per year; sunshine 2600 hours per year. The poor, well-drained soils are limey and stony, composed of sand and clay.