Torres Gran Coronas Etiqueta Negra 1981 Gran Reserva

Wine: Torres Gran Coronas Etiqueta Negra 1981 Gran Reserva
Winery: Miguel Torres
Appellation: D.O. Penedès
Varietals: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
ABV: 12%

Winemaking
Grapes sourced exclusively from a small, select Cabernet Sauvignon vineyard located in Pacs del Penedès. Fermentation took place in stainless steel vats. The wine initially aged in new American and French oak barrels for 6 months, then continued its maturation in second and third-fill barrels until it was bottled in November 1983. 

 

Tasting Notes

 

Appearance: Brownish-cherry of medium-high depth, showing a darker hue than typical Riojan Gran Reservas. Slightly cloudy with sediment at the base of the bottle (unfiltered); orange rim.

 

Nose: Medium intensity, displaying very elegant signs of reduction: English tobacco, chocolate liqueur, cigar box, and candied fruit, all underpinned by finely vanillic oak. Creamy notes support the ensemble alongside smoked spices, black pepper, clove, and star anise. Ripe, slightly overmature and reduced black fruit (blackcurrant, blackberries) emerges, with chocolatey hints combined with attractive, almost mentholated balsamic notes (After Eight). It gradually gains presence and power with aeration.

 

Palate: Creamy and broad entry; highly distinguished. Expansive, structured, and savory, with a more than sound acidity that elevates the wine and imbues it with life. The black fruit emerges to reveal roasted sensations, cherry in liqueur, and very pleasant bitter notes on the finish. A smooth, elegant red that has aged with distinction. It remains vibrant and promises great moments ahead.

 

Personal Score: 93
Tasting Group Score: 92

Background & Historical Context

For the Torres family, the wines of Bordeaux represented the ultimate paradigm of excellence in traditional fine wines. This conviction led them to bet on grapes of Bordeaux origin for the creation of their most emblematic label: Torres Gran Coronas Etiqueta Negra Gran Reserva. Between 1965 and 1966, the first Cabernet Sauvignon vines were planted at the Mas La Plana estate.

 

The inaugural vintage, the 1970 Etiqueta Negra, achieved legendary status by winning the historic 1979 Wine Olympics, a prestigious global competition organized in Paris by the renowned gastronomes Henri Gault and Christian Millau. For the first time, a foreign wine outperformed the most famous Cabernet Sauvignons of the French Médoc, including Château Latour 1970, Château Pichon-Lalande 1964, and even the legendary Château La Mission Haut Brion 1961.

 

By the mid-1980s, the wine officially adopted its current name, Torres Mas La Plana, and transitioned to a 100% Cabernet Sauvignon production. This shift involved moving away from the use of old Tempranillo and Carignan vines, as well as Cabernet Franc, in the final blend.

 

The 1981 Vintage

The spring of 1981 was cold and rainy, causing a slightly delayed flowering. However, the dry and hot summer was opportunely moderated by rainfall in mid-June and July.

 

While the 1970s decade saw the Gran Coronas Etiqueta Negra follow a clear Bordeaux model, the 1980s marked a decision by Torres to seek a unique path more closely identified with its own terroir. The 1981 vintage, benefiting from favorable weather with appropriate rainfall, became the first vintage to be crafted as a monovarietal Cabernet Sauvignon and subjected to long aging in 100% American oak barrels. It was not until the mid-1980s that French oak was permanently introduced into the winery's aging program.