Victorino 2022, 2020, 2019, 2018

Crítica

2020 > 94 puntos
The 2020 Victorino has a little less alcohol than its siblings, 14.58%, and a little more freshness and acidity. It was produced with grapes from 35 hectares of old vines in La Jara and El Palo (Toro), El Rosal and El Risco en Villabuena del Puente and in Valdefinjas. It matured in new French oak barrels for 20 months. The toasted aromas from the barrels are still quite noticeable, but it's not overpowering and the oak gives the wine spiciness and creaminess. This is textured and balanced, with a mellow mouthfeel and abundant, slightly dusty and chalky tannins. This is reminiscent of the 2018, a year with abundant rains and larger bunches. Give it some more time in bottle to achieve a better integration of the oak and the polishing of the tannins. 44,800 bottles produced. It was bottled in August 2022. End of January 2023, The Wine Advocate
2019 > 93 puntos
The 2019 Victorino was selected from 45- to 100-year-old vines in La Jara and El Palo (Toro), El Rosal and El Risco in Villabuena del Puente and in Valdefinjas (35 hectares) that yielded 21 hectoliters per hectare, quite low. It had a traditional vinification of destemmed grapes with yeasts selected from their own vineyards with malolactic and 20 months of aging in 100% new French oak barrels. This is still very young and marked by the toast from the barrels, smoky and spicy and with ripe and juicy fruit, creamy, very round and with silky tannins, the signature of the vintage. It's tasty and has a clean and defined finish. Very 2019. 40,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in May 2021. (Issue 255 End of June 2021, The Wine Advocate)
2018 > 94 puntos
I tasted two vintages of the cuvée called Victorino, including the 2018 Victorino, a year with fewer bunches of larger grapes that resulted in very balanced wines, wines with good structure, ripe tannins and deep color. This was selected from ungrafted Tinta de Toro vines that fermented destemmed with their own selection of yeasts and matured in new French oak barrels for 20 months. This is a little lighter and has hints of blue flowers, a more vibrant palate and grainier tannins. 2018 and 2019 are very different years, and the 2018s are more fluid but also have more nerve and are likely to develop for a longer time in bottle. This has the advantage of one more year in bottle, which has helped to integrate the oak. Despite the cooler and wetter year, the grapes were very healthy, unlike in Rioja where they had to sort and select. 40,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in August 2020. (Issue 255 End of June 2021, The Wine Advocate)
2017 > 93+ puntos
I also tasted the 2017 Victorino, from a year that was very different from the warm and dry 2017, as 2016 was cold and wet and saw a very late and slow picking because of the slow and late ripening of the fruit. Fermentation and élevage were the same (20 months in 100% new oak), so the differences are due to the vintage conditions. I was very surprised by this 2017 (as with the rest of the 2017s from this address), as I found a fresh and balanced wine, perhaps a little lighter, with round and fine tannins. There are still oak-related aromas and flavors, but there is less toast (they use a different toast for the barrels), and the wine should integrate it with a little more time in bottle. But it should be approachable while you wait for the 2016. 40,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in August 2019. (Issue 246 End of December 2019, The Wine Advocate)