Lucas Löwi's passion and immersion into the wine world began early: he was born in Mendoza, Argentina, at the foothills of the Andes Mountains, surrounded by vineyards and breathtaking landscapes. After having worked for the Moët Hennessy Wine Division in Argentina, he moved to Spain to lead Bodega Numanthia, the Spanish jewel owned by LVMH in Toro, Spain
Bodega Numanthia is an LVMH maison, a name synonymous with luxury and the finest things in life. You have recently combined Numanthia’s expertise - traditional winemaking savoir-faire – with that of Loewe to create a collector’s barrel for Thermanthia, your estate’s iconic wine. Superb Spanish wine, a barrel made from French oak wood and covered in Loewe leather -this is the true definition of elegance and luxury. How did this collaboration come to be?
L. L.: In Spain there are only two LVMH Maisons, both firmly rooted in their Spanish heritage. Bodega Numanthia and Loewe share the same essence: two maisons connected by the same culture and values of luxury, excellence and craftsmanship.
Bodega Numanthia’s barrel by Loewe is a tribute to the Spanish craftsmanship and savoir-faire and the output of this collaboration is the reinterpretation of the barrel, a collector’s piece.
Bodega Numanthia’s barrel by Loewe
A visit to Bodega Numanthia offers a truly special opportunity to discover fascinating wines, the Toro region and its special terroir. From the origin of its name, inspired by the ancient city of Numancia - whose inhabitants chose death over the dishonor of surrender during the Roman invasion - to what makes the Tinta de Toro grape unique, visitors will certainly learn and discover the winery and region’s heritage when they come to Numanthia.
How would you describe the “Numanthia Experience”? What makes Numanthia a memorable, cannot-be-missed wine estate in Spain?
L. L.: Visiting Bodega Numanthia in Toro, Spain, is an unforgettable experience, the kind of experience that stays with you for life.
Personally, I firstly visited this unique place ten years ago and even then I knew that that trip was going to change my life: I was living in Mendoza at the time and here I am, years later, established in Spain.
Bodega Numanthia’s wines are blends of the finest plots of a unique native grape variety, Tinta de Toro. Member of the Tempranillo family, the Tinta de Toro grape variety has adapted successfully to the local terroir producing very low yields (among the lowest yields in the world).
Bodega Numanthia was created in 1998 and it is located in the Denomination of Origin Toro. We are one of the few Spanish wineries that have been awarded 100 points by Robert Parker [for the 2004 Termanthia vintage].
Something you’ll never forget after visiting us is how rare our vineyards are. Our vineyards are exceptional in many ways: they have been able to resist to the Phylloxera during the XIX century and they “fight” the extreme climatic conditions every year, showing a resilient spirit. They are all planted in un-grafted bush vines. Many of them are >70 years old, with some of them older than 120 years. Our yields - 1,800 kilograms per hectare in average - are amongst the lowest in the world ensuring high concentration.
The Estate owns 83 ha spread in a patchwork of tiny plots all around the Denomination of Origin Toro, more than 100 parcels on both sides of the Duero river. The diversity and the extent of our parcels ensure to our Tinta de Toro a wide range of terroir expressions.
This is a unique patrimony that we seek to preserve and to translate into our wines, Numanthia and Termanthia. A unique legacy composed by century-old vineyards, with the ambition of revealing this Spanish diamond to the world, offering wines of great intensity and elegance in order to become the icons of the Spanish wines in the world.
Bodega Numanthia’s vineyards in D.O. Toro, Spain
This question is for the Wine Paths’ traveler looking for inspiration… You must certainly visit a lot of wine regions and estates around the world. If you had to pick your favorite memory of wine & travel, which one would it be?
L. L.: I was born in Mendoza, Argentina, at the foothills of the Andes Mountains, surrounded by altitude vineyards of Malbec. Before moving to Spain with my family, I enjoyed very much living in Mendoza, a region from which I have great memories, mostly related to my childhood. Thus, if I had to suggest a wine region other than Toro in Spain, I’d choose Mendoza for sure.