El Picaro … villainously delicious

Matsu El Picaro. The first of the label gallery of three generations of men: El Picaro, the youngest, El Recio, a man in his forties, and El Viejo, a striking octogenarian. (Next to this, there is also the Bazin ‘La Jefa‘!) But don’t keep looking at the striking photos, because we’re going to drink.. At El Picaro, the label shows a young man with a nice cap. Well, the wine is certainly not a cap. Pff, delicious indeed.. An ideal pouring wine, generous, a touch of ripe cherry sweetness. Plum. Pink peppercorn. Bay leaf. And a nice spicy bit of tannin at the end. But still calm in the air, balance, equilibrium… That might be because that is the meaning of the Japanese word ‘matsu’. After a busy workday, it is indeed nice to relax with this Ciske de Rat of wines.

The Matsu El Picaro is the youngest of three Matsu wines. This wine has not been aged in oak. Dark red color with an aroma of dark ripe fruit, earthy and wood with a hint of leather. The taste again features plenty of ripe black fruit combined with an oak forest floor. The above is not heavy, almost fresh, with a beautiful balance; leaves you wanting more! Great for just relaxing on the couch, but also goes well with a BBQ, and is not to be missed with a hearty stew and artisanal smoked sausage. The fruit pairs wonderfully with smoked dishes.

Matsu El Picaro is made from Tinto de Toro, the local variant of Tempranillo in the Toro wine region, sourced from vines over 50 years old. The harvest is entirely by hand during the first 15 days of October when the grapes are fully ripe. The grapes are gently pressed in a pneumatic press, followed by natural fermentation in concrete tanks at a temperature below 24°C. One-fifth of the wine undergoes 3 months of aging in French oak, after which the wine is bottled without filtration to preserve its natural characteristics.

Concept wine?

The winemaker has opted for a concept that is unconventional. The faces on the labels reflect the wine's maturation. The name says something about the wine's character. El Picaro means: the rogue. So watch out when you open a bottle. Matsu El Picaro tastes just like the young man looks: nice and young, quick, fresh and fruity, and uncomplicated. Simply delicious. Juiciness is key. Curious about Matsu's other wines? Check them out here: Matsu El Recio (the strong one)  Matsu El Viejo (the old one). and La Jefa (the Boss)

Matsu is Vintae's unique sustainable organic wine project in the Spanish wine region of Toro. The Toro wine region is located northwest of Madrid on the River Duero and has held D.O. recognition since 1987. Raúl Acha, Vintae's winemaker, went in search of old vineyards for organic viticulture; in his search, he even found a vineyard with vines nearly 100 years old. This search and the winemaking process are reflected in the name of this wine project.

Matsu means “patient balance” in Japanese. Matsu is inspired by the Japanese tradition of caring for nature in purity and simplicity. It is a tribute to the Spanish wine tradition. All wines are made from grapes grown in a completely natural environment, using the most advanced biodynamic techniques. The Matsu trilogy of wines represents the three generations of winemakers.