The 2009 Fransola is a single vineyard wine made from 95% Sauvignon Blanc and 5% Parellada with 50% of the wine fermented and aged on its lees for 8 months in new French and American oak. Fresh herbs, melon, mineral, and floral notes compose the bouquet of this savory, balanced, lengthy effort. It is meant to be consumed over the next 2-3 years. There was a time, perhaps 35-40 years ago when I was just becoming interested in fine wine, that Torres and Spanish wine were synonymous in the USA. There was Vega Sicilia for the cognoscenti, and a few Riojas floating about for those past the beginner stage, but for most of us there was Torres and it usually delivered the goods at a nice price ($3 for Sangre de Toro). Currently Torres towers over all the table wine producers in Penedes making several million cases plus one million cases of brandy. The winery is a tourist destination with a first-class restaurant. For many years the Torres flagship was the Gran Coronas Black Label, subsequently renamed Mas La Plana. It is produced from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from the Mas La Plana vineyard and aged for 18 months in new French oak. Importer: Dreyfus Ashby & Co., New York, NY; tel. (212) 818-0770