The grapes for Prima are sourced from vines aged 5-25 years old from the villages of San Roman de Hornija, Villaster and Morales. The vineyards tend to be planted in sandy-clay soils as opposed to the stonier soils of fruit sourced for San Roman. Harvested by hand and selection of grapes in the vineyard. The wine is fermented in temperature controlled, conical, stainless steel tanks which allow for caps to naturally be broken very softly during pump overs. The wine was aged for 12 months in second and third fill French and American oak barrels, which had previously been used for the maturation of San Roman. Unfiltered.
91pts Wine Advocate – 2016 vintage
The entry-level red 2016 Prima was produced with grapes from a cooler growing season with an early but long harvest. It’s mostly Tinta de Toro with some 10% Garnacha and other red grapes. It fermented in stainless steel, including malolactic, and matured in French and American oak barrels and foudres for 12 months. They are increasing the percentage of foudres used, trying to respect the fruit. It has nice fruit and good freshness, and it’s lively and fresh. This is approachable and drinkable, with a nice, soft texture, kind of light for a wine from Toro, in a way reminiscent of a red from Douro. A soft, lighter and fresher style. 215,000 bottles produced.
91pts Wine Enthusiast – 2016 vintage
Bold black-fruit aromas include a very ripe note of prune. Typical of wines from San Román in Toro, this is a tannic number but within reason. Savory oak pushes a bacony flavor onto blackberry fruit, while this is meaty and spicy on the finish, sort of like beef jerky. Drink this strong boy through 2026.
92pts View from the Cellar – 2016 vintage
The 2016 Toro “Prima” from Bodegas San Roman is a blend of eighty-five percent tempranillo and fifteen percent garnacha. The wine is raised for one year in used, French and American oak casks and comes in at 14.5 percent octane in this vintage. The bouquet is deep and very promising, offering up scents of cassis, black raspberries, a bit of saddle leather, spit-roasted meats, a touch of anise and a fine base of dark soil tones. On the palate the wine is deep, fullbodied and beautifully soil-driven in personality, with a fine core of fruit, suave, moderate tannins and outstanding length and grip on the complex and very well balanced finish. This is first class Toro and a bargain, as here in the states, it sells for $25! This does not show its octane at all and is very precise on the backend, with impeccable balance and no signs of heat. 2019- 2040.
