If my sources are correct and El Recio refers to a ‘tough guy’ – then the picture on this bottle says it all!  He definitely looks tough.

The wine’s not though – and it’s one of my favourite types.  Spanish?  Check.  Red?  Check. Tempranillo?  Check.  Okay then.

Toro lies in Spain’s northeastern corner – east of Portugal’s Douro Valley and northeast of Madrid. It lies to the west of better known Ribera del Duero.  Some of the very best Spanish wine deals originate here.

This wine is made from 100% Tinta de Toro, aka Tempranillo and aged for 18 months in American oak barrels. All the red wines in the DO must be either 100% Tinta de Toro or may have some Garnacha.  The whites are from Verdejho and Malvasia.

This wine is a deep garnet and has aromas of black fruit, some cranberry, sweet mint, cedar and bramble.

On the palate, it’s a treat. Dry with medium acidity and slightly green and dusty tannins, the flavours include blackberry bramble, damson plums, ripe blueberries, sweet green licorice fern, cedar fronds, baking spice and a great finish.

WSET Good plus wine with a lovely fruit profile, nice complexity and balance.

Extremely enjoyable – go get some. Not tough at all!