Viña Arnáiz Toro Pata Negra Roble 2013: Blackberry nose grows with exposure to air; French oak shows, ripe red fruits, plum, raspberry; fruity, smooth, sweet tannin. 100% tempranillo from the Toro DO, a province in Zamora in northwestern Spain, near the border with Portugal. Toro has long, hot summers, which results in the ripe fruitiness found here. Sometimes tempranillo is called “tinta de Toro” in the region. Wines from Toro have immense history—dating back to 1st century BCE; wines from here were substantial trade good in Early Middle Ages (5th to 10th century). This is made-for-trade wine, some 50,000 cases, and Viña Arnáiz is proud to sell on every continent. It has some rustic edges and certainly is not complex, but works quite well as a pull-and-pour pizza or burger buy. $11
