The Marques de Tomares is one of the great historic estates of Rioja, dating back to the time in the late 1800s when phylloxera in Bordeaux prompted new vine plantings in nearby Rioja. This is... Read More
The Marques de Tomares is one of the great historic estates of Rioja, dating back to the time in the late 1800s when phylloxera in Bordeaux prompted new vine plantings in nearby Rioja. This is also when other legends like Lopez and La Rioja Alta got started. Also like Lopez, Marques de Tomares' founding family is still in charge; the grandkids and great-grandkids make the Tomares wines, including from vines planted by Grandpa over 100 years ago!
The wines are beautiful and traditional. So why has everybody heard of Lopez and La Rioja Alta but not Tomares? Because for years the winery sold only to elite society clubs (socios) and Spain’s top restaurants. They did not make wine available to retailers or to the general public. This is not unheard of in Spain, where Vega Sicilia also sold their wines exclusively through private channels into the late 20th century.
Tomares eventually opened up — much more recently than Vega Sicilia — and We've been tasting and buying their wines for a few years now.
