San Román, Toro (Castilla y León, Spain) Garnacha Tinta 2020

 To the degree that the region of Toro has been famous at all (which it has been, to the degree possible for it based on the circulation of its wines, since at least 1500 BCE), it has been famous for big, assertive red wines deserving of an appellation meaning, simply, Bull.  Spain cares about bulls, as you may know, and not just anyplace could claim that name and get it to stick for more than half a millennium.  The thing is, that reputation was built on a local strain of Tempranillo that evolved in relation to local growing conditions so distinctly that it came to be called, “Tinta de Toro,” further cementing an association with a wine style that is quite distinct from what we would usually think about Garnacha (also known as Grenache in France and basically everywhere else, also).  On account of all this, almost nothing could prepare you for this wine, which is wonderfully lithe and fresh and bright and even delicate — though it has a sneaky power that shows itself only after multiple sips and especially after tasting the wine with food.  It really is a medium-bodied wine — though at the lighter end of that category — but one that offers much more flavor impact than one would expect.  These are based on beautiful aromas and flavors recalling red cherries and raspberries, with intricacies that could also be likened to strawberries or cranberries, but this is its own thing, prompting me to remind the reader that all of these descriptors are mere analogies.  San Román is one of Spain’s best bodegas, and though you could get the idea that this is just a flirtation with a variety that is “fun” for them to make, they’ve made terrific but small releases of this (as well as Malvasia) for years now.  The wines are terrific, and they warrant the search that will be necessary to find them.