2020 - 2023
The entry-level red 2017 Flor de Vetus comes from the vines around the winery, mostly Tempranillo with a little Garnacha. It fermented in stainless steel and matured in oak barrels for nine months. It's easy to see the more rustic and earthier character of Toro if tasted next to their wines from Ribera del Duero (Finca Villacreces). The fruit is darker and there is more tannin, but there is good freshness and balance too, and it finishes very tasty, with an almost salty twist. I'd say this is a triumph over the conditions of the year, even if it was not as challenging in Toro as it was in Ribera. 116,758 bottles and 100 magnums. It was bottled in March 2019.
Vetus is the name of the project in Toro from Izadi from Rioja; they also own Finca Villacreces in Ribera del Duero. They have 14 hectares of old vines and 20 hectares of vines planted in 1999. In 2017, they produced 30% less than in 2016 because of the frost that, while not being as serious and extended as in Ribera del Duero, also damaged Toro. The two wines I tasted seemed to have integrated the oak surprisingly well. They produce 180,000 bottles.