History of the Toro Designated Region

Before the Romans arrived at Zamora, the inhabitants of the Toro region were already producing wines that were highly valued in the Peninsula and Mediterranean Basin.

The Toro wines were so prestigious that King Alfonso IX of Leon conceded privileges for its production in the 12th Century.

In 14th Century Seville, all wine other than that from Toro was prohibited from entering the city.

Columbus took Toro wine with him on the expedition to discover America in 1492, because it could survive large journeys, due to its structure and body. Friar Diego de Deza, from Zamora, one of Isabel the Catholic’s confessors, collaborated economically in the expedition, for which he was allowed to name one of the caravels, the Pinta that was half full of Toro wine.

At the end of the 19th Century, large shipments of Toro wine were exported to France, which was devastated by the Filoxera plague.

By the 20th Century, many Spanish vine-growing regions bought Toro grapes to make wines of optimal quality.

With respect to this brief historic account, one must remember that the wine-making tradition of the Toro region began even before Roman domination, continuing the custom of selling wines outside the region during the 12th and 13th Centuries, expressed by the concession of royal privileges to the wines, until Alfonso IX King of Leon gave up Toro land to the Compostela capital for the production of the prized wines. They are wines that participated in the discovery of America, acknowledging their capacity for conserving their high strength throughout the journey. During the 19th Century, a large quantity of Toro wine was exported to France, which had been affected by the Filoxera plague.

During the 20the Century, many winemaking regions bought Toro grapes to make wines of optimal quality.

The Designation of the Toro Region is recent, beginning in the mid 70s, under the Specific Designation (Denominación Específica), which preceded the attainment of Designated Region (Denominación de Origen) on the 29th of May 1987. The Spanish legislation understands Designated Region as the geographical name of the region, county, place or locality used to designate a product proceeding from vine, wine, or alcoholic drinks from the respective zone, having differentiating qualities and characteristics due to the natural environment, production and vintage.

The Denominación Vinos de Calidad Producidos en Regiones Determinadas (V.C.P.R.D.) makes reference to all the Spanish wines that the community guidelines recognise as Wines of Quality, produced protected and commercialised by the Designated Regions.