Almirez 2016

As with the entry-level Románico, I also had the opportunity to taste the 2016 Almirez right next to the 2015 to see how the growing season was reflected in each of the vintages. This also shows more freshness, following the style of the year, and it has a lifted nose and is high pitched, with very good balance and elegance within the powerful style. There is restraint within the powerful style of the zone and the house profile, with sweet fruit and spices, fine tannins and a dry mouthfeel. Even the oak feels better integrated than in the 2016, despite its youth and recent bottling. It was bottled in April 2018, some three weeks before I tasted it. 95,000 bottles. - Luis Gutiérrez.

This offers plenty of ripe dark plums and berries with rich notes of dark chocolate and spicy oak. Toro’s powerful and direct structure is all on show here. Drink this from 2020.