The Torres name is well known in Spain where the family winery was established in 1870 and handed down from father to son for five generations. But Founder Marimar Torres is at the helm of Marimar Estate Vineyards and Winery, and for the first time in Torres family history, it’s a mother-daughter venture with daughter Cristina spearheading sales and marketing.
Involved in the family business her entire life, viticulture and winemaking is deeply ingrained, and Marimar is passionate about sharing the rich and vibrant history of Spanish wine culture. “I love sharing our story and our lives, and our wine-and-food heritage,” says Marimar, who is also the author of two cookbooks, The Spanish Table and The Catalan Country Kitchen. “My family has grown grapes in Spain since the 17th century, and our philosophy has always been to produce wine as an extension of farming the vineyard.”
The origination of wine in Spain goes so far back that there’s no clear timeline of its beginning, though it’s believed it began with the Phoenicians, but for the Torres familia, it began in 1870 when Don Jaime established the House of Torres. He and his brother, Miguel, built a winery in Vilafranca del Penedés and began exporting wines. Together, the brothers helmed the winery for years. Eventually, the business was led by Doña Josefa, a strong matriarch, who steered the winery while her son, Don Miguel (1910-1991), a visionary in the business successfully guided the company with growth and vision with his wife, Doña Margarita. Their daughter, Marimar, got her start in the business when she was 19, traveling with her father to the U.S. in 1967 to promote the Torres wines of Spain.
In 1975, Marimar moved to San Francisco and became the ambassador of the Torres brand. At that time, Torres wine sales to the U.S. totaled 15,000 cases. Ten years later, sales had reached 150,000 cases. In 1983, Marimar purchased a parcel of land in the heart of the Green Valley of Russian River Valley, an ideal location for Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. The winery’s first crush was in 1992. In 2000, she bought a property in the Sonoma Coast, between Freestone and Occidental, where she planted Pinot Noir.
Located on a rustic backroad in Sebastopol, the winery is designed in the style of a traditional Catalan farmhouse perched on a hill surrounded by the vineyard. Guests can enjoy a seated wine-and-tapas pairing in the dining room furnished with antiques from Catalonia, or outside on the terrace. All recipes are from Marimar’s cookbooks.
We begin with a splash of the 2018 Chardonnay/Albariño. With notes of white peach, tangerine and honeysuckle, it’s a classic of the varietal. Lush and long on the palate, this wine pairs beautifully with the pastis de carbaçó Cristina (Zucchini Cake Cristina), which is savory and delicious. Next, we sample the 2019 La Masía Chardonnay. La Masía means “the farmhouse” in Catalonia. A beautiful wine on the nose with floral aromas, it has notes of lemon cream and hazelnut and it’s paired with prawns in garlic sauce and sweet red peppers. A lovely wine to drink now, but it will last 15 to 20 years in a cellar.
All fruit is estate-grown and handpicked during the harvest season. As to Marimar’s winemaking philosophy, she is a purist to Torres family tradition. “There are four critical factors to winemaking,” says Marimar. “The variety, the person behind the wine, the climate and the soil,” she says, adding that the soil in the U.S. is younger and much more vigorous than in Spain. “This is the magic. We nurture the grapes and listen to the wine. We don’t make the wine—the grapes do.”
We move to the reds and begin with a pour of 2015 Método Antiguo Pinot Noir. Método Antiguo (pronounced Mae-toh-doh Ahn-tee-gouo) means “old method” in Spanish and refers to the old-style method used to produce it. An elegant wine, it offers aromas of wild berries and violets with notes of cinnamon and cardamom. Its earthy notes make it a perfect pairing with the stuffed cabbage dumplings.
And finally, we end with a splash of the 2015 “Earthquake Block” Pinot Noir, named following a great winter storm in 1995, which created a deep ravine in the sloping hill where the future vineyard was already staked. “The next morning the sight was frightening. It looked like an earthquake had hit the block. After that, we never referred to it by any other name,” says Marimar. A lush, elegant wine with black fruit and red cherries, it has a touch of mint and pairs well with figs stuffed with chocolate and nuts in a rich chocolate sauce.
This year marks the 32nd harvest for Marimar Estate. As for the future, Cristina intends to carry on the Torres family tradition of winemaking. “Our wines are food-friendly, thoughtful and elegant. We have a nice following and our style will remain consistent. And at some point, I’ll carry on the tradition—from mother to daughter.” Next time you’re planning a wine tasting adventure, make a reservation at Marimar Estate and enjoy Sonoma County, sun-kissed wines, served with the flavors of Spain. As Marimar says, “Buen Provecho!”
Marimar Estate Vineyards & Winery
Address: 11400 Graton Road, Sebastopol, Calif. 95472
Phone: (707) 823-4365, ext. 114
Website: marimarestate.com
Hours: Monday: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Thursday & Friday: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Saturday & Sunday: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Seated Tasting Fee: $25/per person
Tapas & Wine Pairing Fee: $55/per person
Wines: 2020 Rosaleda Rosé of Pinot Noir, 2018 Chardonnay Albariño, 2019 La Masia Chardonnay, 2015 Método Antiguo Pinot Noir, 2017 “Earthquake Block” Pinot Noir (Subject to change.)
Reservations: Required. Schedule online at exploretock.com/marimarestate, email reservations@marimarestate.com. Or, call (707) 823-4365, ext. 114 or (707) 823-3904.
Picnics: Yes. (Club members only.)
Pets: Yes. Friendly pooches welcome, on a leash.
Did You Know? In 2004, Marimar Torres, founder and vintner of Marimar Estate Vineyards & Winery, made the decision to plant two Spanish varietals at the winery. She began with Albariño and Tempranillo. Albariño is a varietal that hails from Northwest Spain in Galicia and produces aromatic flowery, intense and lovely wines. Tempranillo is the highest-quality red variety grown in Spain. Both varietals are planted in the Don Miguel Vineyard, where they thrive.
[Photos courtesy of Marimar Estate Vineyards & Winery]
