2001 Dos Victorias 'Gran Elias Mora' (Toro)

Importer: Grapes of Spain (Aurelio Cabestrero Selection)

Source: PJs

Consumption Date: 9/19/2012

Notes: Deep, dense aroma of damp earth, dark fruit, and, perhaps, truffles.  Full bodied with plenty of dark fruit intensity framed by an herbaceous woody quality and a warm earthiness (not quite tar and not quite leather).  Moderate finish of herbaceous wood (hinting at bitterness) and warm earth.  Moderate to strong tannins.

This wine has proven to be an interesting take on the Tempranillo grape in Spain.  It has a fruitiness and intensity both in taste and aroma that distinguish it from the other Tempranillo based wines I have drunk recently as well as from my hazy memory of another Toro wine I drank some years back.  While this is clearly a well-made effort, I am finding the midpalate and finish to be a bit too intense with flavors that are not my favorites, particularly the hint of bitter herbs.  For an intense wine, the finish is surprisingly understated.  I believe this wine is also somewhat past its peak (particularly for a “modern” style, near fruit bomb which I expect this was in its youth).  I think the aged nature of this wine has mellowed the fruit intensity somewhat and probably brought the other flavors to prominence, resulting in a wine that is now slightly out of balance.  This might have been better (or at least more characteristic) drunk a few years younger.

Value: Average to good