Perhaps the most challenging estate of Vega Sicilia is Pintia, where the constant search for balance is an integral part of the winery’s everyday work. The Pintia estate is located in the Toro wine region, a region where environmental factors, the unique terroir and the climate all exert a significant impact on grape growing and the work carried out in the winery. The local grape varieties, especially Tinta de Toro (a more powerful, more characterful variant of Tempranillo), together with the extreme temperature fluctuations and dryness create conditions that demand constant adaptation. Despite the professional challenges, the result is always overwhelming and appealing. Although the extremes make the wine region more continental, the wine itself is genuinely Mediterranean.

After hand-harvesting, the grapes are stored in a cold room for 12 hours to preserve freshness and aromas, followed by further bunch and berry sorting. Before fermentation, a 5-day cold maceration is carried out, and malolactic fermentation takes place entirely in barrels. The wine then ages for 12 months in French and American oak barrels.

Dense and complex, the wine spreads broadly on the palate, with flavours that are soft and full-bodied, enveloping like velvet. Pintia is always a reliable choice when you want a popular-style, and is a big red with decades of ageing potential. This wine left the most lasting impression from our most recent visit.