Vetus, `Flor de Vetus` Toro
Vintage: 2021
| Vintage | Product Code | Format | Closure | Availability |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | VE202A21 | 12 x 75 | Natural Cork | Available |
Producer
The Antón family (of Izadi, Orben and Finca Villacreces) have invested in the Toro DO, purchasing 20 hectares of Tinta de Toro (the local name for Tempranillo) vines in 2003 for their Vetus project. These 25-60-year-old, south-facing vineyards are located on sandy and clay soils in Villabuena del Puente.
Growing conditions in this area are extreme, with cold winters, frost, strong winds and hot summers all presenting huge viticultural challenges. The vineyard’s poor soils create low yields, resulting in wines with excellent flavour and colour intensity. However, high temperatures and 3,000 sunshine hours per year can bring high alcohol levels without effective vine canopy management.
The ‘Flor de Vetus’ Toro is made from 100% Tinto de Toro and has a deep, black cherry colour with expressive aromas of red and black berry fruits and touches of spice from time spent in American and French oak. It offers a fresher, more accessible style, designed to be drunk in its youth, compared to its more premium Toro counterpart, which is matured in new French oak and spends more time in bottle before release. Vetus’ Toro is well structured, with bright aromas of red berry fruit, smoke, toast and robust tannins that are typical of the DO. The wine is well-balanced, with a long, powerful finish.
The Antón family also own vineyards in Rueda, to the east of the Toro DO. The ‘Flor de Vetus’ Rueda is made from 100% Verdejo, sourced from an 80-year-old vineyard planted at an elevation of 820 metres in the cool area of Segovia, giving a crisp and fresh style of white wine.
Vineyards
The 20 hectares of vineyard are located in the Villabuena del Puente municipality within the Toro DO. The climate here is continental with hot and often very dry summers and cold winters. The vineyards are on south-facing slopes with sandy and clay soils and sit at around 700 metres above sea level. At this altitude, there is a wide diurnal range and the grapes benefit from warm days tempered by cool nights and undergo a perfectly paced, slow ripening. The 30-year-old vines are dry farmed and yields are naturally low at around five tonnes per hectare on average. Harvesting is carried out by hand and the vineyards are farmed organically.
Vintage
2021 was a rather complex vintage with generally wet conditions. Autumn was warm and rainy, winter was marked by a big snowstorm and cold temperatures that allowed the natural elimination of insects on the vine. After the spring, which had standard temperatures and rainfall, summer was warm and dry.
Vinification
Upon arrival at the winery, the grapes were rigorously sorted to ensure that only those in pristine condition made it into the wine. The grapes were then destemmed and partially crushed and transferred to temperature-controlled stainless-steel tanks for fermentation with regular punch downs. After this, the wine underwent malolactic fermentation in tank and was then racked into oak barrels where it was aged for nine months. The barrels were a combination of French and American oak, with 50% new oak used, and 50% second use.
Tasting Notes & Technical Details
A deep ruby in colour with a violet hue. On the nose it boasts aromas of ripe red and black cherries, complemented by spicy nuances of liquorice, smoked meat and Mediterranean herbs. The palate marries power and elegance with an excellent concentration of berry fruit flavours and balance of flavour and acidity, all culminating in a lingering finish.
Alcohol (ABV)
14.5%
Acidity
5.42 g/l
Residual Sugar
2.8 g/l
pH
3.7
Other wines from this producer
Producer | Wine | Product Code | Features | Style | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vetus | Toro | VE201 | R | ||
| `Flor de Vetus` Rueda Verdejo | VE203 | W | Factsheet |