Castilla y León

DO in the region of Castilia-León in the north of Spain, close to the border with Portugal. The DO is named after the city of the same name (Toro = steer). To the east it borders on the DO Rueda, and the Duero river flows through both regions. Toro is sometimes also referred to as „Tierra del Pan“ (land of bread), as huge fields of wheat are also to be found here. The vineyard area totals 4.000 hectares, the vineyards are mostly located in the vallies of the Guareña river. Monks were involved in viticulture here in the 13th century. The first university in Spain, originally founded in Palencia, was moved to the city of Salamanca in this region (though outside the DO) in 1215, that gave a strong impetus to viticulture. The professors and students as well as the clergy and the Spanish court held the wine in high regard. The city of Toro, after which the region is named, is located on a rocky hill on the banks of the Duero river. The vineyards are located at an altitude of 600 to 750 metres above sea level. The indigenous red variety that grows only here, Tinta de Toro (a variant of Tinta del País and an original form of Tempranillo) accounts for 70% of the vineyard area, the remainder is made up of the red variety Garnacha Tinta and the white varieties Malvasia and Verdejo. The red wines are mostly matured in barriques, and regulations demand that they contain a minimum of 75% of Tinta del Toro, although in practice most of them are straight varietals. The wines have a deep, dark colour and a high level of extract, as well as prominent but soft tannins. The warm, dry climate ensures grapes are fully ripened on the vine, resulting in natural fermentation producing wines with an alcohol content of as much as 15% vol., this is also the permitted maximum for the DO. The red wines of Toro are described as part of the “Spanish wine miracle”, together with those of Priorato and Ribera del Duero. White and rosé wines are also classified as DO, but are produced only in very small quantities, they should be drunk young.