This Bodega, situated in the famous village of San Roman de Hornija, was founded in
2000 by winemaker Victoria Benavides. The winery is named after the former owner of
the vineyard, Elias Mora. The arid, warm climate naturally limits production and produces
concentrated grapes. Vines are trained in the traditional vaso or glass shape, which yields
ideal results but requires extra work, by hand, for harvest and pruning. The philosophy
of the winery revolves around combining a respect for tradition and modern technology.
Victoria focuses exclusively on Tinta de Toro the native clone of Tempranillo which has
been grown locally, with no exposure to phylloxera, for over 2000 years.
Appellation Toro D.O.
Grapes 100% Tinta de Toro, from a single, 40-year-old, north-oriented vineyard
Altitude / Soil 2,600 feet above sea level / clay and limestone rich soils
Farming Methods Sustainable
Harvest Hand harvested into small boxes
Production Fermentation takes place with native yeast/microbes in stainless steel tanks
Aging Aged 12 months in French oak barrels
Reviews: “There is a nice touch of baking spice on the nose, joined by fruit-of-the-wood and hillside herb notes. Baking spices transition
to the palate as well, accompanied by flavors of blackberry, black cherry, clove and orange zest. Durable tannins drift away to an espresso-
bean and orange-zest finish”.
94 points Wine Enthusiast; M.D. Best of the Year 2022
“This wine always catches me a bit off guard, and has managed to do so ever since the first vintage I tasted. When I first saw the label, my
guess that it was near the low end of this producer’s offerings, but was wrong about that… taking the playing card image on the label seriously,
I figured the name meant “discard” in English, but that made no sense either… So then I looked up the word in Spanish, only to learn that it
does indeed mean “discard” in English, but it makes no sense that someone would choose what we could paraphrase, “Here’s something I
chose to throw away” as a name for a premium wine. So now I’m reduced to just guessing,.. but here we go: Based on the fact that the
vineyard plot underlying this is north-facing, which might well have been a Northern Hemisphere disadvantage prior to climate prior to
climate change, I’m guessing that the fruit from these vines might once have been though unfit for fine wine but are now valued for the
freshness and purity that the wine displays, and that “Discard” is a backhanded play on this irony… The wine shows wonderful purity and
even delicacy, with very classy oak notes that are notable but subtle, followed by mid-palate sensations that begin with polished impressions
but then display more power as the wine unfolds, showing lots of linear drive and more depth than its weight would have suggested it could
muster. That’s a surprise right there, and then the wine’s finish provides yet another surprise, with gracefulness and length that belies the
power that preceded it. In brief, this is beguiling wine, and delicious too.”
93 points Wine Review Online; Michael Franz – July 20, 2021
“Opaque ruby. Powerful, smoke- and spice-accented dark berry and cherry aromas, plus floral and vanilla accents that build in the glass.
Sweet and youthfully chewy on the palate, offering juicy black currant and cherry cola flavors that are lifted by a spicy topnote. In a rich but
surprisingly lively style, closing long and gently chewy, with building tannins and repeating floral and spice notes. 2023-2032”
93 points Vinous; Josh Raynolds – July 6, 2021 Central Spain Additions
“Earthy, fresh aromas of petrichor, forest floor, wild oregano, plums and dried nuts. Fantastic concentration on the palate with that same
earthiness at the core, framed by firm, round tannins. Good acid drive throughout. Long finish with a spicy twist of liquorice and aniseed.”
93 points Decanter Magazine – February 2023
“The 2017 Descarte bottling from Elias Mora is produced from tempranillo vines in excess of forty years of age, with the wine aged in a
combination of new and used French casks for eighteen months prior to bottling. The wine tips the scales at 14.5 percent alcohol in this
vintage and delivers a superb nose of black cherries, a hint of sultana raisin, leather, roasted venison, dark chocolate, woodsmoke, lovely
spice tones and cedar. On the palate the wine is deep, broadshouldered and impressively light on its feet for its octane, with a good core,
fine soil signature and grip, firm, chewy tannins and a long, complex finish. There is just a bit of heat poking out here on the backend, but this
is well-balanced for a Toro in this day and age. 2026-2055.” 91 points View from the Cellar; John Gilman - Issue #91 January/February 2021
“Cola, black cherry coulis and melted licorice flavors are interwoven with wild herb, coffee and mineral notes
in this flashy, concentrated red. Refined tannins structure the toasty, spicy finish. Drink now through 2028.
833 cases made, 400 cases imported.” 91 points Wine Spectator; Gillian Sciaretta – November 30, 2021