How can you resist those eyes? This soulful youth is the face of El Picaro, one of four wines produced at Matsu, an estate in Spain’s Toro region.
Wine has been made in this area since the 1st century BC. The ancient Greeks showed up and taught grape growing and winemaking to the local tribes, and it’s been a robust industry ever since. Because of this long history, vintners have long taken a hands-off approach in the vineyards, and a surprising number of vineyards are old-vine.
These traditions are evident in this bottle: the wine is crafted with tempranillo grapes from 90 year old vines that are biodynamically farmed. (Think organic plus a spiritual element.) The wine ferments in concrete tanks – another old-school technique – and goes through malolactic fermentation in French oak barrels to soften its texture. There is no fining or filtration, preserving the wines freshness and flavors.
The result is a deep, almost purple-colored wine with a very rustic feel. There are a lot of dark fruit flavors – plum and blueberry come up – along with subtle notes of earth, licorice, spice and leather.
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