Finding out about the Toro Protected Designation of Origin
Spain is a country with a great wine heritage and one of the world’s largest suppliers. It is on the first place in broad-acre cultivation and also first in wine and grape must production during 2013/14 season. Moreover, it is the leading volume exporting country on a year-on-year comparison (although it is the third value country after France and Italy). Data from the Wine Market Watch Group in Spain.
There are 69 Protected Designations of Origin across the country and we are here reviewing the most remarkable ones.
Toro Protected Designation of Origin
Wine in Toro has a great history record with an origin set back to earlier ancient Roman settlements in the area.
In the Middle Ages, Toro wine was considered to be a highly appreciated good, having royal privileges that allowed its trading in forbidden areas.
Here is a little story that illustrates that point: do you know which wine Columbus took with his expedition on his voyage to America? You know it right, because of its formidable features which make it last for longer than others, the wine of Toro was on the first voyage to America.
The Toro D.O. is located at the southeast of Zamora region and southwest from Valladolid. It has a growth area of 62,000 Ha and 8,000 of them are entitled to wine harvesting.
Grapes
There are 4 main types of grape in this Designation of Origin:
- Tinta de Toro, a native breed with similar features to tempranillo grape and is the hallmark of this D.O.
- Garnacha grape
- Malvasía grape
- Verdejo grape
Wines
Toro D.O. has different red, rosé and white wines, with the following categories:
- Young wine
- Crianza wine: with 2 years and at least 6 months stored in oak barrel
- Reserva wine: with 3 years and at least 12 months in barrel.
- Gran Reserva wine: with 5 years and at least 18 months in barrel.
- Rosé wine: made with Tinta de Toro and Garnacha grapes.
- White wine: made with Malvasía or Verdejo grapes.