Bodega Numanthia, the jewel of Castillo Y Leon in northwest Spain. This beautiful Bodega is a true symbol of the Toro region wines. The winery itself is relatively young, dating back to 1998. However, the acquired vineyards are much older. The name Numanthia comes from the Roman city of Numancia. Roman warriors from this city fought heroically for the Roman army at the site of the Bodega. There's no better tribute than naming a winery after these warriors. The acquired vineyards were planted centuries ago by pioneer families. The vineyards even survived the phylloxera plague. Moreover, the vineyards are also well-resilient to the extreme weather conditions this region experiences: extreme heat and drought in the summer and icy cold in the winter.
The old vineyard of Numanthia
The vines for this Numanthia are at least 50 years old. This age has allowed the roots to dig down to a depth of 5 meters, allowing them to absorb sufficient nutrients from the soil. This delicious and unique red wine is made exclusively from Tinta de Toro grapes, a native grape from this region with a wealth of character. The vineyards are spread throughout the Toro region, with only 1,100 vines per hectare planted. This is relatively small, but the Eguren family doesn't mind. They only use what's good enough for their exquisite wines. The grapes are carefully harvested by hand at the right ripeness. This manual harvest ensures strict selection of the fruit, ensuring only the finest grapes are used for this exquisite red wine. After harvesting, the grapes are transported to the Bodega in small crates and gently crushed. This crushing process releases only the purest juice for the wine. After vinification, the wine is aged for 18 months in French oak barrels in the cellars of Bodega Numanthia. After these 18 months, the wine is bottled and ready to leave the nest.
What does Numanthia red wine taste like?
The result… We had to sit down for a while to enjoy it. What a beautiful red wine this Numanthia is! The color is deep cherry red with a purple rim. The aroma offers a powerful and intense bouquet of ripe red fruit like cherries and raspberries. These are interspersed with notes of spices like mint and cloves, and at the end, a soft hint of vanilla and tobacco. The palate is thick and powerful. A wonderfully full mouthfeel thanks to the thick structure. On the palate, numerous flavors of mocha, mushrooms, spices, and ripe black fruit emerged, all beautifully balanced. The lingering finish is full-bodied and perfectly balanced. A true gem!
2019
