Marques de Murrieta - Rioja Reserva 2020

Marqués de Murrieta is named after Luciano de Murrieta, one of the founding fathers of modern Rioja winemaking, who established the estate in 1852 in the world-renowned Rioja region of Spain. The Rioja region is located in Northern Spain on both banks of the Ebro River, providing exceptional natural conditions for the cultivation of vineyards. Today V. Dalmau Cebrián-Sagarriga, Count of Creixell, leads the family-owned company.

Key to the quality and style of Marqués de Murrieta wines are the unique family-owned vineyards, unusual in Rioja where most wine is done by purchasing grapes from small producers. Today, Murrieta is the largest continuous single estate in the region.

The Ygay Estate is located on the southerly limit of the Rioja Alta and is comprised of 740 acres of prime vineyards. The vineyards are divided into several smaller plots, including the single vineyards of Capellanía; Canajas, which is the source of the unique Dalmau; and La Plana, source of the esteemed Castillo Ygay.

The winemaking takes advantage of the extent and quality of the vineyards. Marqués de Murrieta is able to grow an array of grape varieties in soils with varied exposures and altitudes.

This producer makes outstanding reds as well as whites which, like the reds, are capable of aging for decades. A 1970 Castillo Ygay white sampled in 1994 was still fresh, rich, with aromas of bananas, vanilla, and stone fruit with an extremely long finish, and truly at its peak.