Bodegas Matsu, 'El Picaro', Toro

€16.99

A firm family-favourite and surely one of the best success marketing stories that the wine industry has seen for the last decade or more, this is a case that the bottle is worth every bit of the hype.

Packed full of black and bramble fruit flavours, licorice and a very, very dark strawberry core, there is a fresh vibrancy about this wine that betrays its making: very little oak is used in aging this and there is no shame in that at all. This is a delicious and dense wine that shows that Toro specifically and Spain in the broader reference, is capable of power within vineyards that doesn't require oak to get its message of quality and typicity to its audience.

Sandy soils and a high level of granitic rocks are the characteristics of these vineyards that the Matsu owners have collected and the Tempranillo vines (here called Tinta del Toro) are able to age and mature like, well, fine old wines. These vines though are mostly younger and though they are harvested with the same care and attention as the top levels in their range, the youth is preserved by fermentation and aging in concrete tanks.

The result is an intense, powerful and delightful wine with a smooth and easy palate.

Region: Toro

Country: Spain

Grape(s): Tempranillo

Style: Smooth, Full, Fruity, Dark, Bright, Balanced

Best food matches: Tapas, Pork, Pizza, Pasta

Alcohol: 14.5%

Why buy from us?

When you buy wine from The Allotment Wine Co. you're helping a small Irish company that in turn supports small, sustainable wine producers who grow the grapes and make amazing wines. We only work with partners who share a deep respect and connection with the land and its traditions, witnessed in a firm commitment to quality and sustainability. All of which makes for better wines.

Delivery & Returns

You'll get free delivery when you buy 12 x 75cl bottles of wine online from The Allotment, saving you €7.99.

We charge €7.99 per delivery for quantities less than that.

Our hours for processing orders are between 9am - 6pm Monday to Friday.

We pack your online wine order along the following timelines:

Wine orders for delivery in Dublin, received before 12pm on weekdays are prepared so that delivery should be expected the next working day.

Wine orders for nationwide delivery, received by 12pm on weekdays are prepared so that delivery should be expected two working days later.

Customer reviews

★★★★★
Great choice and excellent service. Received my delivery the next day.
Paul H.
★★★★★
Amazing service from the get go!
I emailed Chris looking for wine recommendations for a birthday gift. Got a really speedy, helpful reply and not only that but he hand delivered it on time to the birthday girl wishing her a happy birthday. Absolutely bowled over by the service. Cannot recommend highly enough.
Michelle McM.
★★★★★
Could not recommend The Allotment enough. The selection is fantastic and each wine that I've drank from them has been utterly phenomenal. Delivery was no hassle and I had the wine at my door in 2 days. Couldn't have asked for a better experience.
Luke B.
★★★★★
Good range of interesting wines. Good personal attention to their orders. Very customer focused. I would be happy to recommend this company to any prospective customer.
Jim D.
★★★★★
A great experience ordering from The Allotment Wine Company. A wide variety of wines to try something new and at good prices with super quick delivery! Really convenient too as opposed to trying to find parking!
N. Dowling
★★★★★
Delicious and interesting range of wines delivered promptly to my door. Not far off that lovely feeling of coming back laden from a good wine store but without any of the traffic or the worry of breaking the wine en route (very impressive travel wrap).
M. Dorman
★★★★★
Chris fields a fine range of excellent, keenly-priced wines. Orders are safely packaged and dispatched efficiently and promptly. Strongly recommended.
David M.
★★★★★
Great selection of wines, hassle free ordering, payment and delivery. Highly recommended.
Patrick H.
Hi, I'm Chris Gifford.

And you're very welcome to The Allotment Wine Co.

When you wine from me, you're supporting a small Irish business which in turn supports small, sustainable wine producers, as well as other small, dedicated Irish wine importers.

When selecting wines, I look for partners who share a deep respect and connection with the land and its traditions, witnessed in a firm commitment to quality and sustainability. All of which makes for better wines.