Bodegas Mazas, Mazas Roble, Toro 2020 (14.5%)
£12.95 Ultracomida
We haven’t welcomed Toro to our Best in Show selection in the past, but the sheer power and exuberance of its celebrated Tempranillo strain (Tinta de Toro) has often attracted our judges’ attention as we hunt down Silvers and Golds. This wine puts all of that generosity into the glass, and at a price that qualifies for a Value Best in Show. It has been oaked, but not with the wild enthusiasm of some of its pricier peers: damson and bramble fruits sing from this dark, almost-black wine. Like most Toro wines, it’s gratifyingly soft in the mouth but texturally rich: creamy and coaxing. It’s hard not to wallow in all of that luscious damson and bramble darkness, but soft, discreet acidity and plush tannins stop the wine cloying.
Following her studies, Bodegas Mazas winemaker Maria de Uña made wine in both hemispheres and throughout her home country of Spain, with Toro receiving the vote for permanent residency because, she says, ‘the land, the grapes and the viticultural practices were in line with what I wanted to do, which was natural wine’.
Bodegas Mazas owns 148ha of vineyards. ‘We don’t use weedkillers, pesticides or fertilisers – only a bit of sulphur when needed, and compost,’ says de Uña. ‘And we do very little in the winery.
‘Mazas Roble is made from grapes that come from La Majada vineyard in the “paramo” (the plateau at the highest part of the valley). The bush vines were planted in 1982. The sandy soil has a top layer of rounded stones that retain heat in spring, then water and freshness in summer.
‘The vineyard enjoys a constant breeze, keeping the grapes healthy,’ she adds. ‘Most crucial, however, is the day-night temperature difference – in early September it’s normal to have a swing of 20°C or more, which gives fully flavoured grapes with very ripe tannins.
‘This is a blend of 90% Tinta de Toro and 10% Garnacha, the latter providing the wine with acidity and florality, and softening the Tinta de Toro. It’s a win-win for both varieties.’