Marqués de Murrieta Rioja Reserva
Rioja, Spain
Vintage:2019 (Current)
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Reviews
Vinous Media
93 Points
April 2024, Joaquín Hidalgo
The 2019 Marqués de Murrieta is 93 Tempranillo, 5% Mazuelo and 2% Garnacha Tinta, sourced from Pago La Capellanía in the Ygay estate, Rioja Alta. Aged for 24 months in American oak barrels, this garnet wine offers notes of sour cherry, balsamic and dried flowers, along with a lactic-vanilla-cedar layer. On the palate, it is dry, mild and lean, with a juicy flow and fine-grained tannins that culminate in a long-lasting finish. The 2019 vintage represents a harmonious blend of traditional oak-vanilla influences and the emerging fruit-forward trend.
The Wine Advocate
93 Points
February 29, 2024, Luis Gutiérrez
“The 2019 Rioja Reserva, their flagship wine, comes from the 300 hectares of estate vineyards. Here, Tempranillo is the backbone, making up 87% of the wine in the low-yielding vintage of 2019 and complemented with 6% Graciano, 5% Mazuelo and 2% Garnacha. This is the second vintage in the new winery. It’s a balsamic and spicy version—a wine with muscle that they aged for a longer time in barrel, and it's more traditional and serious. It's ripe at 14.5% alcohol, a pH of 3.65 and 5.3 grams of acidity. They seek balance between fruit and oak, looking for freshness. A more powerful year.”
Wine Spectator
91 Points
January 18, 2024, Alison Napjus
“An elegant red, bright and silky on the palate, with vibrant acidity and supple tannins well-meshed with flavors of pureed mulberry, delicate dried thyme and anise, mandarin orange peel and a touch of fragrant smoke. Long and juicy on the finish. Tempranillo, Graciano, Mazuelo and Garnacha. Drink now through 2034.”
JamesSuckling.com
96 Points
August 18, 2023, James Suckling
“A precise and polished red with cherry, plum, slate, iron, and powdered earth. It's medium- to full-bodied with sublime tannins that are beautifully integrated into the wine. It's structured, yet the tannins are very silky. It's curated and thoughtful. Two years in American oak (10% new) and 14 months in bottle. Sophisticated and very drinkable, but will age nicely. Drink or hold.”
Overview
Marqués de Murrieta Reserva is a traditional Rioja wine crafted in the classic Murrieta signature style and enjoying all the benefits of modern winemaking philosophy, equipment and techniques. Made from Tempranillo, Garnacha, Mazuelo and Graciano, this wine embodies ripe fruit qualities with a perfect balance of acidity, supple roundness on the palate and a hint of new oak. The Marqués de Murrieta vineyards on the 741-acre Ygay Estate are located in Rioja Alta between 320 meters to 485 meters above sea level.
The Cebrián-Sagarriga family, who in 1983 acquired the winery, established in 1852, has a distinct winemaking philosophy that is founded in the pursuit of quality and excellence through tradition and innovation.
Winemaking
Tangible proof of elegance, balance and constancy characteristic of the winery and its surrounding vineyards situated in the Ygay estate, this is a Rioja Reserva with a balanced aging of 24 months in new and partly new American oak barrels and a year and a half in bottle. The result is an elegant wine that combines complexity and fineness, summing up the best attributes of Marqués de Murrieta's identity and actuality.
Grapes are first de-stemmed and then fermented in stainless steel tanks for eight days at controlled temperature in constant skin contact. During fermentation, pumping over and punching down operations are regularly carried out. These processes ensure both effective and gentle color and aroma extraction. Afterwards, the solid parts of the grapes are pressed in vertical presses with double screws.
Tasting Notes
A truly expressive nose with multiple layers of red fruit: strawberry, cherry and red plum, notes of black pepper, sandalwood, Mediterranean herbs, red tea and hints of gentle ageing. Silky tannins that frame a flavorful, fresh palate and lead to an elegant finish. An excellent vint age that has given us a generous, well-defined and hugely fruity Marqués de Murrieta 2019.
Food Pairing
Pairs beautifully with milk-fed lamb chops with buttermilk, asparagus and red wine; suckling pig confit with its crunchy skin and caramelized apple. Decanting the wine for 20 minutes is recommended. Best enjoyed between 59º- 61ºF.
Technical Information
Varietals: 87% Tempranillo, 6% Graciano, 5% Mazuelo, 2% Garnacha
Wine Alcohol: 14.5%
Harvest Start Date: September 10, 2019
Harvest End Date: October 8, 2019
Aging: 24 months in 225-liter American oak