UNLVino: Miguel Torres

I love Spanish wine so when I spied a few bottles at the Dreyfus, Ashby & Co. table, I had to stop. Dreyfus, Ashby & Co. is a wine importer and marketer with a portfolio of wines from all over the world. One of their wineries is the famous Miguel Torres. The Torres family traces its roots to the Penedes region of Spain back in 1870. Four generations later, Miguel A. Torres serves as its President. The company produces 3 million cases of wine and 1 million cases of brandy per year, with 60% of sales exported to 140 countries around the world.

What really interested me was the 2005 Miguel Torres Salmos (about $25) from the renowned Priorat region of Spain. Most Priorat wines tend to be higher price point wines so it is unusual to see a Priorat wine at this level. But would it be any good?

The Salmos is a blend of Garnacha Tinta, Syrah, Cariñena, Cabernet Sauvignon. It is fermented in stainless steel and then aged in new French oak for about nine months. It has an alcohol content of 14.5%. Interestingly, part of the original marketing for Salmos involved a mystery, ala "The DaVinci Code." The mystery was supposed to begin online and then could be followed up offline in Priorat. I don't think the mystery aspect went over too well as the new marketing materials I received ddid not make any reference to the mystery.

The wine had a dark red color with a nice nose of dark berries with a hint of spice. On the palate, the wine was smooth, with mild tannins, and lush flavors of plum, blackberry, and spice. There were a couple of herbal notes and a toasty aspect. It had a moderately long finish and some decent complexity. I enjoyed this wine, especially at this price point for a Priorat wine. I think it would become even more interesting with a bit more aging. I would recommend this wine.