2021 Bodegas Maurodos - Prima (750ml)

Bodegas Maurodos, also known as San Román, is the second project of legendary winemaker Mariano García, who spent decades crafting some of the most celebrated vintages of Vega Sicilia before founding Bodegas Mauro in Ribera del Duero. His sons, Eduardo and Alberto, now oversee much of the winemaking here in Toro, where the family began scouting old vineyards in the late 1990s. Prima serves as the estate's more accessible expression, sourced from plots whose character suits a fresher, more approachable style than the winery's flagship San Román.

This wine blends Tinta de Toro with a smaller portion of Garnacha, drawn from vineyards between ten and thirty-five years old planted in clay and sandy soils around San Román, Villaester, and Morales. The two varieties are vinified separately to preserve each site's individual character before being blended. Wide swings between daytime heat and cool nights in this part of Castilla y León give the fruit notable aromatic intensity, and the finished wine ages for about fourteen months in a mix of French and American oak.

The nose offers red and black fruit alongside fresh spice, pine forest, and a whisper of black olive, all resting on a mineral base. On the palate it is fleshy and intense, with bright acidity, a velvety texture, and floral undertones lingering through the finish. It pairs beautifully with roasted duck, grilled sausage, or aged Manchego.