Wine Teso la Monja, “Romanico”, Toro DO

“Romanico” – an exquisite dry red wine made from Tinta de Toro grapes grown in the vineyards of Valdefinhas and Toro. The vineyards apply organic dry viticulture practices with certain selective biodynamic methods. “Romaniko” is obtained from young vines planted between 1990 and 2010. High planting density naturally reduces yields. When Teso la Monja was founded, the Eguren brothers were looking for north-facing sites with the characteristic sandy soils of Toro, but with a higher percentage of clay and rocky surface. Grapes in such sites usually reach phenolic ripeness at least two weeks earlier than in sites with pure sandy soils.

Grapes harvested at the moment of optimal maturity are carefully sorted at the winery, completely destemmed, and whole berries are fermented in stainless steel tanks with a volume of 15,000 liters under strict temperature control. Malolactic fermentation is carried out in steel tanks and neutral French barriques. The wine is aged for 6-8 months in the same barrels.

The Eguren dynasty has been making wine in the Rioja region since the 70s of the 19th century. This very respected family has made a huge contribution to the development of winemaking and was one of the first to create excellent terroir wines, competently combining centuries-old traditions and the latest achievements in the field of winemaking and viticulture. Currently, the Eguren brothers own three farms in Rioja – Bodegas Sierra Cantabria, Senorio de San Vicente and Vinedos de Paganos, whose chief oenologist is Marcos Eguren, the best specialist in the region.

In 2007, the new Teso la Monja winery, acquired by the Eguren family, produced for the first time 3 new wine brands created by Marcus Eguren. The territory of the Toro wine region is influenced by the Douro River and has a special microclimate conducive to the excellent growth of the vine. A well-known winemaker works with local grapes of the Tinta de Toro variety, which has a low yield, but synthesizes a large amount of polyphenols that give drinks a special structure and aromaticity. Despite the “youth”, currently Teso la Monja produces four great brands of wine, such as “Victorino”, “Almirez”, “Alabaster” and “Romanico”, which are a new generation of “classic” red wine in Spain.