Bodegas y Vinedos Maurodos, San Roman 2021
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View from the Cellar
San Román’s top cuvée is made from old vine tempranillo, with these vines ranging from sixty to more than one hundred years of age. The vineyard is farmed by certified organic methods and the winery’s team is starting to incorporate some biodynamic principles in their viticulture. The San Román Tinto is raised for two years in barrel, with both American and French oak used for the barrels. Twenty-five percent of the barrels new for each vintage. The 2021 vintage of San Román Tinto tips the scales at 14.5 percent octane this year and delivers a deep, pure and gorgeous bouquet of black cherries, cassis, a touch of currant leaf, dark soil tones, cigar wrapper, violets and nutty new oak. On the palate the wine is focused, full-bodied, ripe and pure, with beautiful depth of fruit at the core, lovely soil inflection and grip, fine-grained tannins, lovely balance and a long, nascently complex and very refined, young finish. This carries its alcohol quite well indeed, with only the very faintest hint of backend heat, and will clearly age long and gracefully. Like the 2020 version, this is one of the greatest young wines I have ever tasted from Toro! 2034-2085.
The very classical 2021 San Román showcases the house style of ripe, concentrated and generously oaked reds made from Tempranillo (or Tinta de Toro) grapes but with the balance and poise to develop and integrate the oak with time in bottle. Furthermore, 2021 was a great vintage in the zone for them—cooler, with adequate rain and excellent balance between acidity, alcohol (14.5%) and structure. It matured in French oak barrels of different sizes and aged for 24 months. It has notes of black fruit, hints of graphite, licorice and ink and a medium to full-bodied palate with very fine, elegant and polished tannins. 120,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in December 2023.
A rich, stylish red, with lavish notes of oak spice, vanilla and medicinal herbs and spices accenting glossy black cherry, blueberry and blackberry paste fruit flavors. Though there’s a flamboyant edge, this is focused and well-structured, with integrated, fine-grained tannins and lively tangerine peel acidity. The long, expressive finish echoes the generous profile. Best from 2026 through 2036. – A.N.
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