Deep and brilliant purple. An extremely complex and elegant wine. Rich and multifarious, the nose is a sophisticated palette of aromas. Fresh raspberries, blackberries, black currants and other berry fruits enhance floral notes of violets and rose petals. Also present are hints of and black pepper and toasted almonds that evolve into sweet spices such as cardamom and vanilla. Notes of truffles and a delicate minerality showcase the Toro terroir.
On the palate, the wine is elegant and velvety, with fine and silky tannins are perfectly balanced giving a grand structure and weight. There is a progressive explosion of delicate, concentrated aromas, a profound evolution where everything enjoyed on the nose come forward again. Red and black berries, cacao and floral notes fill the mouth, leading to a lingering, complex finish with hints of spice, minerals and toasted notes.
The end of the 2009 autumn was mild with some rain showers (almost 3.0“ – 76 mm) and it was followed by a very cold winter, with a couple of snow falls especially in January and February. The average temperature of the season was close to 40o F (4,5o C) permitting the complete dormancy of the vineyards and pruning to place until the end of February.
The temperature during the spring grew steadily and the soil built very good water reserves due to the 4.0" (100 mm) of rainfall. Bud burst was quite early and started around the third week of March. Due to the very low minimum temperature (32o F – 0o C) a light frost occurred at the beginning of May, yet the impact only lead to a natural decrease of the yields.
Flowering took place between the 5th and the 12th of June during a mild month (average temperature 66o F – 19o C), with enough water available for the roots. As June was finishing the temperature started to increase until the end of August: July was warm and dry (maximum average temperature 91o F – 33oC) as well as August (maximum average temperature 90o F – 32oC), when 80% of the veraison was achieved, more precisely the 16thof August. Temperatures started to drop at the beginning of September, allowing a very smooth accumulation of sugar and poly-phenols.