Románico 2014

The 2014 Romanico is the better value of the two, with fabulous, dense blackberry and cassis fruit, with licorice, camphor and forest floor. It is dense, full-bodied, opulent, and a dazzling example of a wine made from modest yields of 31 hectoliters per hectare from their younger and middle-aged vineyards. It is 100% Tinto de Toro and their largest production cuvée. It is a sensational buy at $17.00, tasting more like a wine that costs three times that price. 

Here are two terrific efforts from the moderately sized appellation of Toro. These are big, flavorful, pedal-to-the-metal style of dry red wines, both made from 100% Tinto de Toro. The Romanico is aged six months in used French oak and the Almirez partially fermented in barrel and aged for 14 months prior to bottling.