A Multi-Generational Pursuit of Excellence

For almost 150 years, the Torres family has worked tirelessly to craft high quality wines in their native Penedès and beyond. They believe in preserving their cultural heritage; working to restore ancient grapes and traditional winemaking practices. They are also dedicated to sustainable practices in all their endeavours, farming their vineyards organically and adhering to a strict policy of fair prices for all grape suppliers.

“Our winery is a dream that started almost 150 years ago and that has been passed on from generation to generation…we focus on the long-term…creating projects that express the identity of a place/vineyard that are unique and special.” - Miguel Torres Maczassek, General Manager of Famila Torres

Five Dedicated Generations

Jaime and Miguel Torres founded the winery in 1870. Each subsequent generation has contributed their passion and dedication to the family's bodega. Third generation Miguel Torres Carbó was the first in the region to bottle wine. Quality reached new heights in the fourth generation with the creation of fine, single-vineyard wines. Current managers Miguel Torres Maczassek and his sister Mireia are the 5th generation and want to have an even bigger focus on single vineyards and unique wines that express the landscape of each wine region that they are passionate about.

Over-Delivering on Quality

The Torres family holds themselves and their wines to the highest possible quality standards. When they are not traveling, Miguel Torres senior, along with his son, daughter, and their winemaking team, meet every Tuesday to taste each blend of every new wine to determine when to bottle. Many might find this "old-fashioned," but the Torres feel they have a responsibility to provide their consumers with the best possible quality of every wine in every vintage.

Spanish Fine Wine Pioneers

In 1970, Spain was not known for single vineyard wines. Miguel Torres Sr., recently returned from studying oenology and viticulture in Burgundy, convinced his skeptical father to allow him to plant Cabernet Sauvignon. He believed that their Penedès vineyard was of world-class caliber and that Cabernet would express this most effectively. Mas La Plana was the result. The wine was widely acclaimed, triumphing over many of the best French wines at the famous Gault Millau 1979 Paris tasting. This gave new energy to a whole generation of winemakers who saw that with an innovative spirit and perseverance there were new paths for Spanish wines.

Viticultural Archaeologists

The Penedès has a rich viticultural tradition dating back over 2700 years. Before phylloxera ravaged the vineyards, the region was home to a wide range of wine grapes. Miguel and Mireia Torres Maczassek are committed to continuing to bring back ancestral varieties and thus restoring their viticultural heritage. Research by the family during the past 30 years led to the rediscovery of almost 50 “forgotten” varieties, but only a handful have the potential for making top-quality wine. You can actually find 2 of them—Garró and Querol—in the single-vineyard wine Grans Muralles. The rest are still in an experimenting phase, but the results are very promising.

Sustainability Practices

In 2007, in view of the gradual increase in observed temperatures, Familia Torres decided to intensify actions aimed at taking care of the land and protecting the environment and established the fight against climate change as one of the main axes of its environmental policy. They have reduced their CO2 emissions per bottle by 30% from 2008 to 2019, reaching their target one year in advance. By 2030, Familia Torres is committed to reaching a 55% reduction.

Behind the Wines

Miguel A. Torres

In 2017 Miguel A. Torres was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award by The Drinks Business and the Institute of Masters of Wine. In his speech, Torres spoke about a subject dear to his heart: defending the importance of wine. “Wine is something special; it’s culture and something that you share at the table with your family.” Miguel A. Torres headed Familia Torres for many years as general manager and now as president and was instrumental in elevating the quality of Penedès wines and bringing them to the world stage.