2012 Pagos del Rey Gran Bajoz Tinta de Toro Vinas Viejas Toro Spain 750 ml

2012 Pagos del Rey Gran Bajoz Tinta de Toro Viñas Viejas is a lot of name for a $20 bottle. But with our exclusive access at almost 25% of SRP —and with all its density, concentration, character and complexity—there is a lot of wine in this bottle for the money.

When Master Sommelier Sur Lucero came back to HQ from Spain, telling us, “I’m buying a case of this Tempranillo for myself,” we knew he must have struck oro. We had to take his word for it though, since his suitcase sample of 2012 Pagos del Rey conveniently ended up winning over his Master Somm tasting group before we could even try it. Then our allocation arrived, and—once we tasted it—Sur just became the first Wine Access team member to take home multiple bottles.

We shouldn’t have been so surprised—there’s nothing quite like the power, intensity, and structure of old-vine Tempranillo. Especially when it’s been hand-picked and fermented in expensive oak barrels. We’re just more accustomed to seeing it in our favorite $100+ Gran Reserva bottles of Rioja and Ribera del Duero.

Black as night at its core, it’s easy to see why they call Tempranillo “Tinta de Toro” in Toro, Spain, where Pagos del Rey hails from. The garnet flecks at the rim hint at the sumptuous black cherry bouquet that opens up into deeply spiced red and black plum. 

The full-bodied palate impresses immediately, with intriguing nuances of fresh black licorice and dusty red earth building into a long, rich finish of raw chocolate and coffee. After almost eight years in bottle, its powerful tannins have integrated nicely, ensuring the wine is just hitting its stride right now (though it will keep going for close to a decade).

We can see why Spain’s Toro region has become a kind of parlor trick for serious value among somms in the know. Nestled in the heart of Castile and León, next door to Rueda, and not far from Ribera del Duero and Rioja, it’s considered Spain’s as-yet undiscovered wild west for great wine. As a result, Toro wines remain one of Spain’s best kept secrets, which means you’ll only see wines like our 2012 Pagos del Rey in the coolest wine bars in Barcelona and Madrid (for now).

That’s thanks to the region’s famously ancient vines (aka viñas viejas), which explain how all that gorgeous complexity and terroir-driven character can find its way into a $20 bottle.

Some of the vineyards in fact date back to Roman settlements. In the Middle Ages, Toro wines enjoyed royal privileges that allowed them to be exclusively sold in Spain’s towns and cities. Christopher Columbus is said to have chosen the wines of Toro to fortify his expeditions to America.

The Pagos del Rey winery is owned by the Solís family who are meticulous growers, obsessed with preserving the ancient vine-growing customs of the region. They insist on maintaining the traditional bush vine system of cultivation and even built the region’s first wine museum at the winery to encourage the safeguarding of their centuries-old farming practices.

They’ll need all the help they can get. Sur told us that neighboring regions have caught on to the level of quality coming out of Toro, and the marquee houses have already started buying up land to fold into their premium blends. 

With all the hottest producers in Rioja and Ribera del Duero starting to buy up vineyards in Toro, it’s only a matter of time before its wines hit the big time—and they won’t stay at $20 a pop for long.