Recently we had the immense privilege to meet Marimar Torres from Marimar Estate at her recent wine lunch that was organized by Walraven Sax and Pitch PR at Michelin Restaurant De Kas in Amsterdam. A woman from one of the most famous Spanish wine families, who moved to California 47 years ago, is a force in the wine world and has made a name for herself in the Russian River Valley specialising in Chardonnay and Pinot Noir wine production.
Marimar presented five of her wines to us, which was followed by a well curated 3 course lunch paired with three of the Marimar Estate Wines. Below you can find the full line-up, including our scores per wine.
Albarino 2020
The Albarino grape variety is originally from Galicia in the northwest of Spain.
Pale yellow in colour with green citrus and bright aromas of jasmine on the nose. A crisp, lively palate filled with minerality and bright acidity, ending in a long smooth honeysuckle finish.
DWA score: 93/100
Acero Chardonnay 2019
Acero is the Spanish word for steel and refers to the fact that this wine has never touched oak. Light yellow straw in colour with floral and peach notes. The wine has a wonderful acidic balance, intense smooth with loaded yellow fruit fragrance and character. It has a refreshing level of minerality for a medium bodied Chardonnay.
DWA score: 93/100
La Masia Chardonnay 2020
La Masia refers to a farmhouse in Catalonia, Marimar’s home region. It reflects the philosophy where they are first of all farmers and wines are produced as an extension of farming the vineyards. This Chardonnay has a lovely oak vanilla scent on the nose. The flavours are lush and creamy with a well-integrated fruit structure. There is a strong yellow fruit intensity and concentration. Full bodied with a luxurious long finish.
DWA score: 94/100
La Masia Pinot Noir 2018
It’s an attractive opulent style Pinot Noir, where you only pick up a slight oaky presence. Subtle tannins and elegant structure make for a very European style wine. Layers of berry with a hint of vanilla spice on the palate, ending each sip with a meaty flavour, keeping you wanting more. It’s yummy and a real delight.
DWA rating: 94/100
Mas Cavalls Pinot Noir 2017
Lastly, we tasted her more gastronomic Pinot Noir. Deep red in colour with an array of black fruit flavours on the nose. Medium to high tannin structure, the palate displays a lovely wild berry flavour. There is a long elegant finish of mocha and spice notes. It’s much bolder than the first Pinot Noir and a delight to taste.
DWA rating: 95/100
After Marimar’s presentation of the five wines, we were treated to an excellent lunch. We were hosted at the exclusive Restaurant de Kas in Amsterdam where they have a philosophy of plant to plate. Their gardens in Amsterdam and the Beemster are the heart and soul of this restaurant and a true reflection of their seasonal menu.
Our lunch menu and pairings:
Marimar came to live in California in 1975 where she introduced Torres Wines to North America. Nestled in the rolling hills of western Sonoma County, the Russian River/Green Valley appellation is a perfect microclimate for growing Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Roughly 15 km from the Pacific Ocean, the farm enjoys ocean winds which helps with heat distribution in the vineyards. This location inspired Marimar Torres to locate the Torres family legacy of fine wines from Spain to California.
When asked about her three main factors for success, she fondly quotes her father (the late Don Miguel Torres) who was her mentor and biggest supporter in the founding years: quality, enthusiasm and perseverance.
Marimar’s only daughter, Christina, has learned from an early age to love the vines and grew up in the vineyards. She currently works with her mother at the Estate and is poised to take over from her mother and keep the Torres legacy alive in California.
Marimar has a passion for cooking and along with running the winery, she has also published two successful cookbooks on Spanish cuisine. Today, Marimar and Christina host a fun weekly cooking video called The Spanish Table, making recipes together from these cookbooks. The videos are great to watch and all available on their website.
Thanks, Marimar for travelling to Amsterdam. It was wonderful to meet you.
The Marimar Estate wines are imported in the Netherlands through Walraven Sax and available at associated retailers and restaurants. This event was organized by Pitch PR and covered for us by our own Kobie.
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