Pintia

Pintia is a project by Tempos Vega Sicilia in the Toro region, owned by the group behind Spain’s most famous winery. Located in the village of San Román de Ornia, on the banks of the River Duero approximately 100 kilometres downstream from the historic Vega Sicilia estate, the Pintia winery was established with the aim of bringing some of the refinement of the Ribera del Duero to a region better known for its power than its elegance. The estate produces just one wine, also called Pintia, from old Tinta de Toro vines.

History

The Álvarez family, owners of Vega Sicilia, began searching for a new project outside the Ribera del Duero in the mid-1990s. After a year of searching, they settled on Toro, following the course of the River Duero further west towards the Portuguese border. Land purchases began in 1997, with the focus on San Román de Ornia, where old ungrafted vineyards and stony, pebbly alluvial soils offered something special.

The team spent four years conducting almost secret experiments: which barrels to use, what blend of oak, how long to age the wine in wood, and whether or not to carry out malolactic fermentation in the barrel. The first commercial harvest was gathered in 2001. In 2006, construction was completed on a purpose-built, state-of-the-art winery comprising four separate buildings, designed to prevent cross-contamination.

Pintia is currently one of the five wineries in the Tempos Vega Sicilia group, alongside Vega Sicilia, Alión, Oremus in Tokaj and Macán in Rioja.

Vineyards

Pintia owns approximately 100–125 hectares of vineyards, most of which are located in San Román de Ornia (Valladolid), with some additional plots in the vicinity of Morales de Toro. A significant portion, approximately 75 hectares, is ungrafted, as much of Toro escaped phylloxera thanks to its sandy soils. Planting density is low by modern standard, around 1,000 vines per hectare, which is typical for the region.

Two main vineyards stand out: Garabitas, with deeper soils and gravel at the bottom, and Los Ojos, with a large amount of stones on the surface and early ripening. Some plots contain vines aged between 50 and 60 years.

Terroir

Toro is a hotter, drier and more extreme area than the Ribera del Duero, with very cold winters and intense summer heat. The vineyards are situated at altitudes of between 500 and 700 metres, which is high enough to cause sharp temperature fluctuations between day and night, preserving acidity and aroma. The soils are complex and poor, with a large amount of pebbles on the surface and gravel beneath, featuring sandy alluvial terraces formed by the Duero River over the centuries. Around Morales, the soils are sandier.

Grapes

Pintia is 100% Tinta de Toro, a local Tempranillo clone with thick skins. The estate is also experimenting with co-fermenting Tinta de Toro and Garnacha.

Winemaking

The team’s stated aim is to tame the natural power of Toro and create a more refined, balanced wine. The grapes are harvested by hand into small 12-kg crates, cooled for 12 hours upon arrival, and then subjected to double sorting. Cold maceration, lasting around five days, is followed by fermentation using the winery’s own strains of local yeast in stainless steel and oak vats. Previously, malolactic fermentation took place almost entirely in barrels, but now it is mainly carried out in stainless steel tanks, with 10–20 per cent in oak barrels to preserve the fruit’s freshness.

Ageing lasts around 10–12 months, mainly in French oak barrels (usually 70–80 per cent), as well as in American oak and a small amount of Hungarian oak. The proportion of new oak barrels varies between 65 and 80 per cent, decreasing in warmer years. In recent vintages, some of the wine is also aged in stainless steel tanks, foudres and Italian amphorae, and the winery is trialling granite eggs. Bottle ageing prior to release has been increased from 18 to approximately 30 months.

Wine

Pintia is the only wine produced at the estate, in line with the group’s model of having one dedicated flagship product per winery. Production stands at around 300,000 bottles per year. The wine is full-bodied and generous, typically with an alcohol content of 14.5 to 15 per cent, featuring notes of ripe black fruit and spices, and a delicate, creamy tannic structure.

Compared to most other wines from Torres, it is perceived as more refined and balanced, clearly bearing the Vega Sicilia signature, yet retaining the character of its origin.