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Lobster Course

If you love Spanish wine, you know that Tempranillo is one of the most popular red grape varieties. As it is grown in many areas of Spain, it goes by a variety of local names. For example, in Toro it is called 'Tinta del Toro" and takes much of its expression from the distinctive soils of Toro.

One producer new to the American export market is Manuel Farina, which was founded in 1942 and now in its third generation. Recently several members of the trade and press attended a dinneer at Colicchio & Sons to try many vintages of Manuel Farina's wines, which include sparkling, white, red, and sweet wines.

First, a bit of geography. Toro is considered one of Spain's top three red wine regions and has a continental climate with cold winters and hot summers. It is the second driest region in spain with 3000 hours of sunshine a year. This is enough sun to "bake" the grapes and raise the alcohol levels, yet when its current winemaker/owner Manuel Farina returned to his father's winery after attending wine schools in Bordeaux and elsewhere, he immediately gave the order to pick grapes three weeks earlier as to avoid high alcohol in the wine and create lower, smoother tannins. At the same time, he gradually lowered the amount of harsh American Oak and oak maturation in general to again create a softer, more balanced wine. Depending on the style of wine, Farina uses varying percentages of New French oak.

What makes the expression of Tempranillo special is also the Toro soil, which is made up of sand and clay, with light sandy well drained top soil and heavier clay soil which preserves water around the roots, with some areas also having small stones. This soil, combined with the difference in temperature between warm days and cool nights, provides perfect growing conditions.

The wines were excellent and extremely well priced for the American market. Dueba Old vine Sparkling Malvasia and still white wine made from Malvasia was crisp and refreshing, with racing acidity and a hint of peach. The young unoaked Peromato 2009 Vino de la Tierra was made without oak -- very balanced, dry, and with nice berry fruit. The Dama de Toro 2009 offered more complex flavors with violets and blueberries. This same wine in Crianza form 2004) was richer, more concentrated, with spicy, peppery red fruit.

Of course, the showcase wine of the night was the Gran Dama de Toro 2004 which spent 15 months in oak with 30% new French Oak and 70% American oak, with malolactic fermentation in wooden tanks. Excellent full bodied wine with hints of vanilla made from 80 - 90 year old vines.  Finishing off he multi-course meal was Val de Reyes Tinto dulce served with the dessert course, made from very late harvest Tempranillo vinified using a solera system similiar to the way Sherry is made in Jerez.

Kudos to Manual Farina coming to New York to speak at this event, and to Colicchio & Sons' beverage director Matthew MacCartney for pairing the wine so well with the food.
 

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