Familia Torres, Catalunya's leading family estate (150+ years, currently 5th generation), B Corp certified. In the 1960s, Miguel A. Torres planted Cabernet Sauvignon in Penedès when the region grew almost exclusively local whites — a bet that changed Spanish winemaking.
The History
The 1970 "Gran Coronas Black Label" — young-vine Cabernet from the Mas la Plana estate — was entered into the 1979 Gault-Millau "Wine Olympics" blind tasting in Paris against Bordeaux royalty. It beat Château Latour outright. That result did for Spanish Cabernet what the 1976 Judgment of Paris did for Napa, and put Penedès on the map overnight. The wine that won now carries its own name, Mas La Plana — a separate, higher-tier bottling in the Torres range today. Today's "Gran Coronas" (the wine you're asking about) is the more accessible label, but its fruit is still partly drawn from those same 50+ year old Mas la Plana vines, blended with younger local vineyards — real lineage, not just a marketing nod.
Cabernet Sauvignon blended with Tempranillo (commonly reported ~85/15), aged 12 months in French oak (30% new), plus a minimum 12 months bottle age before release. 14% ABV.
Tasting notes: garnet color; intense aromas of blackberry and blueberry layered over toasted coffee and nut notes; broad, juicy, smoky currant and boysenberry and rounded on the palate with ripe, generous tannins.
Food Pairings
Grilled or roasted lamb, chorizo and cured Spanish meats, aged Manchego, roast pork, burgers, and tomato-rich Iberian dishes (think a meaty paella). It's built for the grill more than for delicate seafood.
Certifications
Familia Torres as a company is B Corp certified and a driver of the industry's "Torres & Earth" climate/regenerative viticulture program.
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