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The
New Rumasa Group’s acquisition of the Marqués
de Olivara winery seven years ago, has further enhanced
the reputation of the Denomination of Toro wine region.
The region, which forms part of the Olivara estate, is regulated
by the rigorously high standards of origin and quality which
constitute the ‘Denomination of Origin’ controls.
This winery, or ‘bodega’ to give it its proper
name, produces a wide range of wines, from the very young
‘crianzas’, to the older more mature, ‘reservas’.
The
Marqués de Olivara bodega was founded 30 years ago
by Luis Mateos, an entrepreneur from the Toro area. Following
the New Rumasa takeover and subsequent investment programme,
the bodega has been producing top quality wines for well
over 7 years.
The bodega has fused the latest production methods with
state of the art technology, investing heavily in fermentation
equipment. One such example of this investment, is the use
of concrete storage vats, capable of conserving some 28,000
litres of wine and used in malolactic fermentation (concrete
is used because it conserves bacteria in the fermentation
process better than staineless steel). Another example is
the presence of two fermentation units of some 600.000 litres.
These two units are particularly emblematic given that very
few subterranean storage units of this size actually exist,
although neither is currently in use.
The bodega has a total floor space of 15,000 square metres,
of which 7.200 square metres contain buildings and plant
facilities. The vineyards are managed by the resident ‘bodega’
oenologist, Coro Blanco, who ensures that high standards
of quality are rigorously applied at every stage of the
production process. Establishing long term contracts with
local wine growers not only fosters trust and confidence,
but also allows us to monitor the grape production process
guaranteeing the best results for our customers.
A huge investment and modernisation programme combined with
a complete structural overhaul of the bodega has been undertaken
in order to meet the challenge of becoming a pioneering
presence within the Toro wine region.
From
the dark, blood red Toro grape high quality wines are produced.
At present approximately some 800,000 litres are sold under
various brands, with plans to produce 2 million litres within
two to three years. These new, young wines will be launched
under the brand name Viñas de Olivara.
Our top of the range wine, is traded under the Marqués
de Olivara brand. Exquisite presentation and superb wines
- both crianzas and reservas - make this range of wines
a luxury for even the most demanding palates. Only grapes
from the oldest vineyards - averaging 40 or more years –
and only the best barrels are used. Under the expert eye
of the world famous oenologist D. Pascal Chatonnet, French
oak barrels from the best cask and barrel makers from around
the world were sourced, in order to identify which would
adapt best to the Toro grape or as it is known ‘la
tinta de Toro’, and thus obtain a product of only
the highest quality.
Our
products are distributed through Bodegas Garvey, with significant
exports to the foreign market. At present, our exports constitute
20 to 25% of our turnover, but in the next few years we
aim to increase this to at least 50% of our business turnover.
Within the domestic market, our main clients are located
in Castilla y León, with a significant number also
in Madrid, Barcelona and the Levante.
The world renowned wine expert, Robert
Parker, has predicted that Toro wine will be a leader in
the western wine market in the coming years.
The Winery or Bodega
Our
short-term goal is to increase the number of barrels to
900, of which 90% is French oak
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