Toro

The wine region of Toro is a predominantly red-wine appellation in Castilla y León in north-western Spain. Toro is situated in the province of Zamora, west of the Rueda and Ribera del Duero wine appellations, and in the Spanish Duero river valley near the Portuguese border. 

Toro appellation covers approximately 5,600ha of vineyards at an altitude of 600-750m above sea level. The region produces red wine across the spectrum from Joven to Gran Reserva, but all grades must be made from at least 75% Tinta de Toro (the local name for a clone of the Tempranillo red grape). The best reds tend to contain 100% Tinta de Toro and are robust, concentrated and well-structured. 

Cab. Sauvignon is also planted in the region but not permitted for its DO wines. White wines constitute only a small proportion of Toro production and are made from Malvasía and Verdejo. 

Toro made its breakthrough when some of the greatest names in the Spanish wine-making scene showed their trust in the region's potential and moved on to establish their own estates there. These included Vega Sicilia's Álvarez family, Rioja's Marqués de Riscal and Mariano García (the former Vega Sicilia winemaker) with its new Toro winery Mauro-dos. 

Jacques and François Lurton of Bordeaux also launched a winery (El Albar) in Toro where they're making wine both alone and in partnership with renowned enologist Michel Rolland (at his Campo Elíseo). In Valdefinjas, Rioja's Eguren family of Bodegas Sierra Cantabria has Numanthia-Termes, which makes Termanthia and Numanthia, two of the most well-known wines in the region today.