Matsu El Picaro, El Recio and El Viejo

Featuring real-life photos of the viticulturists who grow the grapes for these wines, the Matsu wines from Toro, Spain.

First up is the Matsu El Picaro, 100% Tinta de Toro (Tempranillo) from 50-70 year-old vineyards in Toro, Spain. The wine was aged in for 3 months in concrete tanks and 6 weeks in new French oak. 14.5% Alcohol.

Sample submitted for review. The Matsu El Picaro has an SRP of $14 and is available for as low as $12. Ready to buy? Check your local retailers. Imported by Askari L.H. LLC.

The 2017 Matsu El Picaro begins with a really attractive nose once it opens up, which it needs some time to do. After that you’ll find lots of ripe dark berries, licorice and spice. Taking a sip reveals a very smooth, very tasty medium-bodied wine with more ripe berry fruit, great spice notes, licorice and a bit of an earthy streak. Not a ton of depth for Toro but it’s quite good for the price. And just like you would expect from the label, he knows how to have fun but is not terribly deep or complex. A few salty mineral notes reveal themselves on the dry, medium long finish.

Ready to buy the Matsu El Picaro? Check your local retailers.

2017 Matsu El Picaro

TASTE: 8 COST: 7

OVERALL RATING: 7.8

Highly Recommended

Next up is the Matsu El Recio, 100% Tinta de Toro (Tempranillo) from 90 to 100 year-old vineyards in Toro, Spain. The wine was aged in for 14 months in second use French oak. 14.5% Alcohol.

Sample submitted for review. The Matsu El Recio has an SRP of $22 and is available for as low as $18. Ready to buy? Check your local retailers.

The 2015 Matsu El Recio also needs some air to open up but also offers more complexity. It begins with pleasant aromas of black cherry, plum, anise, chocolate, licorice and more. Tasting the wine reveals more ripe dark fruit with wonderful streaks of chocolate, vanilla and sweet spice notes wrapped up in a smooth round mouthfeel. Full-bodied, tannic and with good acidity, this is tasty stuff. It’s perhaps a little rough now but it should develop quite nicely over the next few years. It ends dry and long with lingering ripe fruit and touches of minerality.

Ready to buy the Matsu El Recio? Check your local retailers.

2015 Matsu El Recio

TASTE: 9 COST: 3

OVERALL RATING: 7.5

Recommended Buy

And lastly we have the grandfather of the bunch, the Matsu El Viejo, 100% Tinta de Toro (Tempranillo) from vineyards more than 100 years old in Toro, Spain. The wine was aged for 16 months in new French oak. 15% Alcohol.

Matsu El Viejo - Beautiful Bottles

Sample submitted for review. The Matsu El Viejo has an SRP of $47 and is available for as low as $38 (Saturday Splurge). Ready to buy? Check your local retailers.

The 2015 Matsu El Viejo begins with aromas of strawberry, raspberry and ripe blackberry along with plenty of wonderful spice notes. Lots of secondary notes also come out as the wine has more time in the glass – vanilla, balsamic, tobacco and even a bit of nuttiness. This is a classic, big and powerful Toro in the mouth. A velvety texture, good structure and plenty of oaky spice and dark fruit are just a few of the highlights. It would be great with a steak. This is definitely a wine to sip and savor as it’s still pretty young so give it plenty of time in the glass to explore how it develops if you drink it now. It ends with a dry, long, tannic finish with a whole bunch of lingering flavors.

Ready to buy the Matsu El Viejo? Check your local retailers.