Toro

Toro is a wine region in Castilla y Leon, North West Spain, which is known for its big powerful red wines made from Tempranillo. Toro is an ancient settlement on the Deruo River about 40 miles east of the Portuguese border. The word toro in Spanish means ‘bull’, it is still uncertain how the town got this name but it is a very fitting symbol for the powerful red wines. Wine has been produced in Toro since pre-Roman times and has been respected for many hundred years, even by royalty. Tinta de Toro (the local form of Tempranillo) is by far the most widely planted grape variety with a tiny amount of Garnacha (mainly for use in their Toro Rosado) and small amounts of Malvasia Blanca and Verdejo (for use in their Toro Blanco).The climate in this region is extremely continental, this means hot, dry summers and cold, harsh winters. With the annual rain fall being rather low the Duero River provides a much-needed source of water, and the vineyards are never far from it. The altitude which Toro lies plays a very important part in the climate too, it lies on the high plateau between the Cordillera Cantábrica and Sistema and Central mountain ranges, most of the vineyards lie between 2000ft and 2800ft above sea level, this helps cools the climate slightly.