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Photos By:: Adil Arora
 Miguel Jr. said this was the latest project from the Torres group but emphasised that with 2000-3000 cases total planned production it would be not a run-of-the-mill Cava but a very high quality product to showcase the philosophy of Torres to produce high end wines as well. Naturally, the distribution will be very limited and India might not get them at all, thanks to the restrictive excise policies of Delhi (and other states as well) and high registration costs.
Several years ago, when I had asked his father Miguel Torres Sr. about exploiting the popular brand (last year it was declared the Most Admired Wine Brand globally) name to make Cava or simply buy and add to their portfolio, he had been quite dismissive about it, saying it was the specialty of Sant Sadurni d’Anoia, the seat of Cava production. This town is very close to Barcelona and Vilafranca in the province of Barcelona in Alt Penedés and produces most quantity of DO Cava though the appellation is surprisingly spread out throughout Spain.
The last time when I had met him at Claridges in 2014, he had given a hint that they would perhaps add it in their portfolio. My interview with him and reported in delWine read, ‘I have asked Don Miguel many times in the past why they do not enter the Cava business as they are so close to San Sadurni d’Anoia, the Cava producing capital of Spain. He has always expressed his reservations about the project, saying too many people are already doing it and doing it well.’ It was interesting to learn from him that they were now about to introduce Cava as well.
 Miguel Torres Jr. whom I had met last in Chile, is back in Spain and according to the succession formula chalked Miguel Torres Sr. who is taking a back seat from day-to-day activities and was visiting Canada with the PFV (First Family of Wines-an Association of top family producers when) Miguel Jr. was at the Hyatt in Delhi for a few hours.
Celebrating 40 Years of Mas la Plana
Miguel Torres Jr. was very happy talking about their flagship wine Mas La Plana- an opulent Cabernet Sauvignon the 1975 vintage of which had beaten the iconic Bordeaux wines like Chateaux Haut Brion and Lafite in the Olympiad of Wine organised in Paris in 1979 by Gault Millau, a Paris publication wine guide. The 2010 vintage in a commemorative wooden box and all the previous vintages back to 1975 are a reminder and motivation to the family winery that they could produce high quality wines. Priced reasonably at around $50-60 in the international markets, it has been distributed in Indian Retail though selectively at a very good value of Rs. 6000 a bottle. On my suggestion that they should commemorate the event with a similar tasting, he said that seemed like a good idea and he would see if that could be replicated.
Torres in China and India
 Torres Jr. Conceded that the Chinese venture had run into a bid of rough weather with the meltdown followed by the restrictions by the Chinese government but was back on track now.
Torres has entered distribution of Indian wines through the Indian Joint Venture Prestige Wines and Spirits. Miguel Jr. was not willing to speculate on the future direction but said they could be interested in the long term in domestic wine production but it was too early to tell. One thing was clear to him that despite problems of taxation and other procedural hurdles he was confident in the long term growth of the Indian market.
It is this long term vision of Bodegas Torres that despite a heavy schedule with the responsibility of running the company as the CEO Miguel Torres Jr. took time out to spend a few hours in Delhi, following the policy of his father of visiting the markets personally and regularly. Hopefully his next visit would be more relaxed and he would find time to meet the customers too.
For an interview with Miguel Torres Sr. In 2008, visit Miguel Torres: Tower of Spain
For a related article-an interview with his father Miguel Torres Sr. In 2010, please visit:
Star Interview: Meticulous Miguel Torres
Subhash Arora
For the full chat with Miguel Torres on Video Unplugged, please click VIDEO |