Founded in 1998, Bodega Numanthia, located in Valdefinjas, Castile and León, in the Northwest of Spain, is a veritable emblem of the Toro region wines.
Bodega Numanthia is living tribute to the fearless warriors of Numancia in Spain, whose inhabitants heroically resisted the Roman army for 20 years in 134 B.C. and finally preferred to sacrifice their lives rather than surrender.
This resilience is also found in the Toro wines in a region with longstanding traditions in winemaking and viticulture. These vineyards were planted by pioneer families centuries ago, back in roman times and since then, they have shown resilience surviving the phylloxera plague during the XIXth century and the extreme climate conditions typical of the region year after year. During the Middle ages, Toro wines were also the first in the world to travel to the Americas, carried on Christopher Columbus’ ships in 1492.
All shaped in bush vines and ungrafted, some of our vines are reaching up to 200 years old and are spread all around the Denomination of Origin Toro in distinctive terroirs.
Bodega Numanthia was the first estate to understand the potential of the Toro region and to reveal an outstanding Spanish terroir to the world, bringing the most beautiful expression of the timeless Tinta de Toro grape variet
Our vines, growing in a sandy and rocky soil, are a living symbol of resilience. They have been able to resist to time despite no irrigation being used, having to develop their roots up to 5 meters to reach the much-needed water.
Living embodiments of tenacity, they are strong in the face of the sharpest winter and the heaviest summer’s suffocating heat, one famous saying refers to as “nine months of winter, three months of hell”.
Our vineyards are a patchwork of over one hundred tiny plots, ensuring complexity and richness. Our vines are very old, some dating back to 200 years.
Preserving this unique patrimony is at the heart of our philosophy. All of the work in the vineyards are entirely manual in order to maintain the balance of the vines and the quality of the grapes. Our vines are dry-farmed and are managed organically and no pesticides are used.
Bodega Numanthia produces three expressions of a unique single varietal, Tinta de Toro, an autochthonous and rare grape variety said to be “the blackest of black grapes” and renowned for its concentration, balanced tannins and elegant notes.
Member of the Tempranillo family, the Tinta de Toro has adapted successfully to the Toro terroir producing very low yields, among the lowest in the world (<2000kg/Ha), ensuring high concentration, expressive wines and impressive quality.
The estate is an untapped diamond, raw and requiring expert hands to cultivate and shape the complex and elegant aromas of its wines.
We manage a patchwork of 200 parcels across the Toro D.O., located on either side of the Duero River. The diversity of these scattered vineyards ensures a wide range of terroir expressions. Bodega Numanthia is the ONLY winery in Toro that represents so fully the D.O. Toro, being rich from its 8 terroirs types, embodying the full diversity of the denomination.
Each terroir has its own characteristics - soil, altitude, microclimate - and provide a distinctive expression of Tinta de Toro. Parcels are vinified separately before being carefully blended by the winemaking team. The result is a wine with a unique balance of elegance and power.
We are at our very heart preservationists. The entirety of our operation is dedicated to making wines that honestly reflect the spare bounty of these vineyards. When you drink a wine from Bodega Numanthia we want you to savor the fruit of our diversity of climate, terroir and ancient vines which together create wines of uncommon texture, vibrance and beauty.
Harvested from over 30 years old vines, this wine fully expresses the fruit's liveliness. Fresh and fruity on the nose with aromas of cherries in alcohol, fresh figs, raspberries and plums. These perfectly integrate with hints of aromatics such as thyme and eucalyptus in addition to subtle notes of hazelnuts, tobacco and cinnamon. The mouthfeel is fresh and balanced, with a predominance of fruit flavors.
Colour: very deep cherry;Aroma: complex, expressive, spicy, mineral, characterful;Flavour: full-bodied, long, great length, powerful;Colour: cherry, garnet rim;Aroma: balanced, complex, ripe fruit, spicy;Flavour: good structure, flavourful, round tannins, great length, round;Colour: Cherry;Aroma: complex, expressive, spicy, mineral, cocoa bean;Flavour: elegant, full-bodied, long, great length, flavourful, varietal, round tannins;
Domaine Jean Grivot Vosne-Romanee is made from 100 percent Pinot Noir.
Domaine Jean Grivot is among the great names in Burgundian wine. Étienne Grivot and his wife Marielle took over from Étienne’s father Jean Grivot in 1987. The vineyards are densely planted and farmed organically “sans certification” while the aim in the cellar is for balance and clear expression of terroir.
Jean Grivot’s 38.3 acres spread across 22 appellations with vineyards in the communes of Vosne-Romanée, Vougeot, Chambolle-Musigny, and Nuits-Saint-Georges. Besides the three grand crus, there are 8 premier crus including the much lauded Les Beaux Monts and Suchots in Vosne-Romanée. The grapes are completely de-stemmed and fermentation is spontaneous.
About the Vineyard:
Vosne-Romanée is from village-level parcels lying between the Vosne and the D974. Domaine Jean Grivot is one of the finest producers here and this wine is intended to be a classic expression of the village with red and black fruit perfumed with spice and violet nuances.
Wine Production:
The grapes are destemmed and maceration à froid usually lasts just a day or two. The alcoholic fermentation is spontaneous and malolactic fermentation occurs in barrel. Depending on the vintage, the proportion of new oak is around 25% for the village appellations.
Tasting Notes:
The wine shows aromas and flavors of red berries, herbs, and purple flowers. The palate is rich with ripe fruit and medium weight with bright acidity and fine tannins. Aging in up to 25% new Burgundian pièce brings notes of vanilla, toast, and baking spices.
Food Pairing:
Red Burgundy might be the world’s most flexible food wine. The wine’s high acidity, medium body, medium alcohol, and low tannins make it very food-friendly. Red Burgundy, with its earthy and sometimes gamey character, is a classic partner to roasted game birds, grilled duck breast, and dishes that feature mushrooms, black truffles, or are rich in umami.
Review:
Ripe plum and blackberry fruit, with well-integrated spice and a silky, plump texture which is nicely balanced by plenty of freshness; a typical village-level Vosne, but one that goes beyond in elegance and finesse. This is a blend of grapes grown both above and below grand crus (Aux Champs Perdrix in the case of the former, Aux Réas and others the latter). The total surface area is 2.5ha. The fruit is destemmed and carefully fermented before ageing in 30% new casks.
Daou Vineyards 'Bodyguard' Chardonnay is made from 100 percent Chardonnay.
The 2018 vintage showcases how Chardonnay excels in Paso Robles vineyards that are carefully selected by Winemaker Daniel Daou for their pronounced maritime influence. This lush and luxuriant Chardonnay presents tropical aromas of pineapple, mango and freshly sliced banana, all accented by captivating accents of nutmeg, vanilla, honeysuckle, and hazelnut. The palate is voluminous and silky, unfolding with elegant flavors of honeydew melon, golden delicious apple and lemon curd. Secondary layers offer hints of kiwi, papaya, baking spice and clover honey. A clean, lengthy finish lingers with essences of melon, mango, citrus and toasty oak.
Review:
Broad aromas of lime spray, tangerine, lemon peel, lychee and white flowers converge on the nose of this bottling. There’s compelling cohesion of flavors on the palate, where poached apples and pears meet with a hint of savory sea salt.