【After four years of research and development, referencing various winemaking techniques and blending methods, the most dreamlike PINTIA style and recipe were found among nearly 100 combinations】
【A winery under the legendary Spanish top winery Vega Sicilia】
【An independent winery in the D.C. Toro region, producing top-quality Spanish wines favored by royalty】
【Pintia retains the most original and authentic Tempranillo flavor – because the Toro region has not been affected by Phylloxera, nearly 60% of Pintia's vines have never been grafted】
【Wine Advocate 95 pts】【James Suckling 95 pts】
Region: La Tierra castilla y leon, Toro
Grape Variety: Tempranillo (Tinta de Toro)
Alcohol Content: 15% vol
Volume: 750ml
Vega Sicilia originated in 1848 when Toribio Lecanda purchased 800 hectares of land. In 1864, Toribio's son, Don Eloy Lecanda y Chaves, took over the business, beginning viticulture and winemaking. In 1915, five wines were officially launched under the Vega Sicilia name. In 1982, Vega Sicilia was acquired by the Alvarez family, expanding into the 'Vega Sicilia Winery Family'. Currently, the family comprises five wineries: in addition to the original Vega Sicilia, there are four others: Alion, Pintia, Macan, and Tokaj-Oremus in Hungary.
Pintia, located in the Toro appellation, is the westernmost of the designated wine appellations of origin along the Duero River in the Castile and León autonomous community, centered around the city of Toro. The north bank of the Toro River is a grain-growing region, known as the "land of bread," while the area south and west of the river is a grape-growing region, known as the "land of wine."
Currently, Pintia's vineyards comprise a total of 96 hectares of land spread across various plots. These plots are managed differently based on soil classification studies, with vines averaging around 35 years old and planted in the traditional Toro format (3 x 3 meters). The density is 1,000 vines per hectare, with an average yield of 3.5 kg per vine. In Spanish, Toro means bull or bullfighting, a very masculine and exhilarating word. The town of Toro, located on the north bank of the Toro River, is a region with an extreme continental climate, receiving only 350 mm of rainfall annually and experiencing diurnal temperature variations often exceeding 20 degrees Celsius. This climate ultimately produces red wines that live up to the Toro name, showcasing a powerful and majestic character.
Land:
The vineyards are situated on alluvial soil at the confluence of the Guarenia and Duero rivers, with the grape-growing region situated at an altitude of 600 to 750 meters. The topsoil is very fertile, with limestone formations in the northern regions, resulting in a higher sand content in the topsoil. However, deeper layers contain abundant gravel, limiting root growth to 40 to 70 centimeters and contributing to the grapes' early ripening.
Climate:
The climate is an extreme and continental climate influenced by the Atlantic Ocean, with rainfall between 350 and 400 millimeters. Temperatures reach 40°C by the end of July and can drop to -11°C in winter. These unique climatic conditions—extremely cold winters and extremely hot summers—along with over 2600 hours of sunshine, a dry environment that prevents the development of cryptogamic diseases, and poor soil, endow the grapes with exceptional quality, ensuring the production of great red wines.
In addition to the selection process at the vineyards, Pintia also conducts a secondary selection process at the winery. The first selection process involves removing unsuitable grape bunches in the vineyard, while the second selection targets defective berries from the superior bunches. Before fermentation in oak vats, a five-day cold maceration is required. Depending on the vintage, malolactic fermentation takes place in 100% wood tanks, followed by aging in a mixture of 70% French oak and 30% American oak for 12 to 15 months before bottling. The time between bottling and release is never less than 12 months, as years of experience have shown that this method further enhances the quality of Pintia.
After perfecting their Alion winery, the Alvarez family began to consider and research where in Spain they could plant new Tempranillo buds. So around 1995, they chose the San Román de Hornija area in Toro and bought vineyards there. The area has hot summers, poor soil, and is rich in pebbles. After purchasing the vineyards, the winery spent more than four years researching various winemaking techniques and blending recipes. From nearly 100 combinations, they found the style that best suited PINTIA. The key was to preserve the characteristics of the fruit itself and give it an elegant style. So when the first vintage of PINTIA (2001) was released in 2004, it became a rising star in the Toro area.
