We have been importing the wines of Marcus Eguren, a fifth-generation leading Spanish winemaker, for more than a decade. Very much like Michel Chapoutier in the Rhône Valley, he is a master at producing everyday, affordable wines through to cult single-vineyards. Founded in 1870, the Egurens’ family-run estates of Sierra Cantabria, Viñedos de Páganos, Señorío de San Vicente and Teso La Monja have produced some of Spain’s most sought-after wines.

Toro

Marcus is the undisputed king of Toro. Having created Numanthia in the late 1990s, he sold it to LVMH in 2008 and started another old-vine Toro venture, Teso La Monja. The vineyards were planted between 1880 and 1940 and the tiny yields of Tinta de Toro produce breathtakingly rich, yet balanced, new-wave Spanish reds. New to Wine Cellar is the Romanico; ‘Tastes like a wine that costs $50 or more rather than $16.50,’ says Robert Parker on the 2011. The 2012 is still unrated but is just as good and offers superb value. The Victorino is more elegant and backward, displaying phenomenal purity and minerality for the warm Toro appellation. These are unique, hedonistic offerings and buying the Romanico is a no-brainer!

Rioja

Sierra Cantabria is more classical in its approach and the wines are made at all the Rioja quality levels. The basic Selección spends just six months in oak, offering medium-bodied Rioja that never disappoints and comfortably ages five to six years. The Gran Reserva is more serious and is only made in great vintages. With a number of years in bottle, this beauty is starting to reach maturity and will plateau for a decade or more.

Here are selected offerings from our latest Spanish shipment. Visit our website for the full list, including limited wines such as La Nieta, Alabaster and Finca El Bosque.

To place your order, please reply to [email protected]. Alternatively, you can call us on 021 448 4105 (CT) or 011 027 9463 (JHB). View delivery charges

Tasting notes

Sierra Cantabria Selección 2012

Classic everyday Rioja produced from grapes throughout the appellation. It spends six months in used oak and offers traditional Rioja notes of violets, cranberry and vanilla. Medium-bodied and tapas-friendly, it will drink now until 2018.

Sierra Cantabria Selección 2012

Classic everyday Rioja produced from grapes throughout the appellation. It spends six months in used oak and offers traditional Rioja notes of violets, cranberry and vanilla. Medium-bodied and tapas-friendly, it will drink now until 2018.

Sierra Cantabria Gran Reserva 2004

The 2004 Gran Reserva was aged for 24 months in 25% new French oak. Dark ruby-colored, it delivers a nose of roasted herbs, mineral, wood smoke, lavender, and black cherry. Ripe on the palate with plenty of savory fruit, it has good grip, considerable depth, and a lengthy, firm finish. It will benefit from 2-3 years of additional bottle age and drink well from 2012 to 2024. Robert Parker, Wine Advocate

Teso La Monja Romanico 2012

Made from tiny yields and matured in new oak, this is a superbly made modern Spanish wine from old-vine Tinta de Toro. It punches far above its price level and is a full-bodied, powerful wine with serious yet ultra-fine tannins. The ‘sensational’ 2011 was a WA 91/100 and offered ‘sweet perfume of lead pencil shavings, violets, licorice, blackberries and black currants’.

Teso La Monja Victorino 2011

The 2011 Victorino was cropped at 18.5 hectoliters per hectare between September 25 and October 4 and is currently being matured for 20 months in new Bordeaux barrels (due to be bottled July 2013). The nose already displays good minerality, although it is quite terse and laconic at the moment. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins and very well-integrated oak that lends a slight creamy texture. This offers great freshness and is already tightly knit on the finish. This has great potential. Drink 2016-2025+. Neal Martin, Wine Advocate

Upcoming event: Young Guns 4

Meet the young(ish) SA winemakers who are pushing the boundaries and breaking the rules. Tickets to this sit-down tasting cost R250 and include a light meal. Find out more

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