TORRES Mas La Plana 2008

intense aroma showing all the classic characteristics of the native land of Mas La Plana, together
with notes of truffle, toast and wild red berry conserve.
Appellation of origin: Penedès

Single vineyard of: Mas La Plana

Grape varieties:
Cabernet Sauvignon

Date grapes picked:
Cabernet Sauvignon (from 16th September onwards)

Vinification:
Number of days of skin contact: 28 days
Number of days of fermentation: 7 days
Type of fermentation: stainless steel under controlled temperature.
Fermentation temperature: 28-30ºC

Length and type of aging:
aged for 18 months in new French oak.
Month wine was bottled: 16 February 2011

Technical data:
Alcohol level: 14,5%
pH: 3,39
Acid level: 5,6 g/L (as tartaric)

Approximate lifespan in a proper cellar: 10 years
Formats available: 75 cl, 150 cl

Tasting notes: intense aroma showing all the classic characteristics of the native land of Mas La Plana, together
with notes of truffle, toast and wild red berry conserve. Great body and breadth on the palate, with juicy tannins that
become balanced and elegant.

Serving suggestions: this wine’s noble and healthy tannins will complement the best meat and game dishes. Serve
at 17-18ºC.

Awards: 90 Points Revista Wine Advocate 2012 (Estados Unidos).

History: the first harvest from Mas La Plana, as we know it today, was carried out in 1970. The first plots had been
planted a few years before, from 1966 onwards.
In 1970, when deciding on the final coupage, the great quality of the Cabernet Sauvignon crop in comparison to
traditional types such as Tempranillo and Garnacha, led us to include a large proportion of Cabernet Sauvignon in
the coupage.
During its subsequent bottle ageing, the wine developed very well. Proof of this is the success it achieved some
years later in 1979, at the tasting of world wines organised by Gault-Millau.
During the seventies, Mas La Plana was a wine made using the method traditional at that time: vineyard yields of
50-60 Hl/Ha. (530/640 galllons/acre), two weeks skin contact, ageing in American oak for 6 months complemented by
at least 12 or 18 months in used barrels …
In 1981 yields were reduced by no longer using nitrogen based fertilisers, cluster thinning (removal of entire bunches
before ripening) was carried out, skin contact during fermentation was extended to four or five weeks (depending on
the year), and French oak was introduced into the ageing process – from the very beginning making up 50% of
barrels used. As a result, the 1981 vintage in particular, but also the 1983, have been enormously successful with our
customers outside of Spain.
The 1985 vintage was quite full-bodied but where American oak was somewhat dominant (nevertheless this wine has
developed magnificently).
1987 and 1988 were years the wines have been considered as lighter, with smooth tannins. 1989 has characteristics
similar to those of the 1988 vintage, with a little more tannic structure.
The real change and return to the style of those wines from the beginning of the 80’s began with the 1990 vintage.
The wines recovered the firm close-knit structure with long ageing potential. American oak was no longer imparting in
the blend and replaced by 100% French oak.
But it is really from 1991 vintage onwards that we think have recovered all of Mas La Plana’s potential, now making it
a wine of great dimension corresponding to the full potential of the soil, the old Cabernet Sauvignon vines and
especially the micro climate of Pacs del Penedès.
Until 1995, which was a superb vintage for Mas La Plana, the wines show a true Penedès Terroir quality, full bodied
and judicious extraction yet firm tannins. 1996 was a transitional period where tannins were more polished and the
vintage characteristic gave a more fruity approachable style of wine.
1997 was more generous, the wines boasted an opulent texture and was highly praised receiving 91 points in the
Wine Spectator. 1998 yield was very low giving a sinewy wine with a more sophisticated frame. Production has been
reduced significantly due to severe selection and the gradual ageing of the vine.
1999 is a sibling to 1998 displaying the restrained power of a fine wine. The constant labour in the vineyard to reduce
naturally yields, return to traditional methods with modern technology to monitor the plant growth combined with good
climatic conditions elevated Mas La Plana to the highest quality.
2000 good climatic conditions resulting in a balance style of Mas la Plana. It could be considered as a somewhat
more delicate and spiritual vintage rather than powerful.
2001 is a glorious vintage, production was low but the wine intense and thought-provoking resulting in one of the
most praised vintage evidenced by, to name just a few, a gold medal at the international wine challenge 2006 and
rated by the wine enthusiast 2006 among the 7 world’s best cabernet.
In terms of winemaking, we have improved our control over the toasting of the barrels at the time of production. The
wine matures on the lies with adequate batonnage, the malolactic takes place in the barrel followed by gentler
filtration.
2002 was the most challenging vintage, cold and rainy resulting in conditions which had to be overcome by the
strictest selection in the vineyard. The resulting wine is somewhat lighter than the other vintages.
2003 although seen as a too hot vintage in many wine regions. Our deeply rooted old vines of cabernet already
accustomed to the warmth of our climate did not suffer but yielded high quality fruit. In addition, it seems that our
rigourous viticultural practices to control vigour by planting cover crop, green harvest and control of maturity within
the parcels is having a positive effect on the final quality.
2004 ideal climatic conditions, we also introduced a sorting table in the vineyard to fine tune our selection process.
This eclectic vintage is in line with our best vintages of Mas la Plana allying power and finesse.
In 2005, we had lower yields in the vineyard as a consequence of the year’s drought. The grape quality was excellent
and the sanitary conditions exceptional.
We changed our membrane press to a pneumatic basket press in order to improve the wine press fraction quality.
2006.This vintage is considered very good for red wines in general. Dry climate with precipitations lower than
400mm, very warm temperatures for the first part of the year and cold temperatures for the second part. It is a full
bodied wine, with soft tannins and a long aging potential in the bottle.
2007. It was a year of warm temperatures especially the first half of the year. The growing season was wet with
highly concentrated rainfall in August and October.
2008. Particularly cold year, but with a normal development of veraison and maturity. Rainfall was normal although
concentrated in May, June and October.