Vega Sicilia, Pintia 2016, D.O. Toro, red wine, 0.75l

Awards:
95+ points - Robert Parker /The Wine Advocate
95 points - James Suckling

Origin and winery:
The wine Pintia 2021 is a red wine from the Pintia winery, part of the prestigious Tempos Vega Sicilia group in the D.O. Toro region of Spain. This project was created with the aim of presenting an expressive yet elegant version of the local Toro style, led by the Vega Sicilia team, one of the most respected Spanish producers.

Vineyard:
The grapes come from older Tinta de Toro vineyards with an average age of around 35–55 years, grown on sandy-gravelly soils in the area around the village of San Román de Hornija. Wines from these vineyards show strong concentration, balanced acidity and a characteristic mineral depth.

Grape variety:
100% Tinta de Toro – the typical clone of Tempranillo for the Toro region, valued for its fullness, intense fruitiness and ability to express the region's terroir.

Production:
The wine Vega Sicilia Pintia 2021 is made with the utmost emphasis on quality and the typical character of Tinta de Toro. The grapes are hand-picked and carefully sorted to remove unripe fruit, and then ferment in a combination of stainless steel and oak vessels at a controlled temperature to preserve the fruity and mineral notes. After fermentation, malolactic fermentation takes place, which softens the acids and gives the wine smoothness, and the wine then ages for 11–13 months in a combination of French and American oak, which brings gentle notes of vanilla, spice and cedar. Once bottled, it is left to age further in the bottle so that its complexity, elegant structure and long-ageing potential can fully develop.

Taste and aroma:
The wine has a deep, almost inky dark colour. The aroma is rich and complex, dominated by ripe dark fruit (blackcurrant, blackberries), notes of spice, cocoa, graphite and minerality with gentle hints of cedar and tobacco. On the palate it is full, structured and harmonious, with firm yet finely grained tannins and lively acidity, which gives it elegance even at high alcohol.

Food pairing:
It shows an intense, dark ruby colour and a complex aroma of ripe dark fruit, spice, minerality and gentle oak notes. On the palate it is full, structured and elegant, with firm yet velvety tannins and balanced acidity, giving a long and harmonious finish. It goes wonderfully with robust red meats, roast lamb or beef, game or intense stews, as well as with bold cheeses. For the best experience, it is recommended to decant the wine and serve it at 16–18 °C, so that its aromatic complexity can fully develop.

Alcohol content: 15%

Origin: Spain, D.O. Toro – a region known for its powerful, concentrated red wines with high ageing potential.