Bodega Marqués de Murrieta : Reserva 2021

Tasting notes and serving suggestions for the Reserva 2021 from Bodega Marqués de Murrieta

Tasting

Color

The color reveals a ruby-red hue of medium to high intensity.

Nose

Vibrant and intense, the nose reveals aromas of redcurrant and blackberry interwoven with herbal notes of rosemary and spearmint. This bouquet rests on a woody base of cedar and spices, enhanced by balsamic touches of incense and leather. Emerging tertiary aromas evoke forest floor and truffle, while notes of Asian spices, coconut, vanilla, and chocolate complete this complex aromatic palette.

Palate

The palate is marked by a structured freshness, carried by an elegant acidity and supple tannins that fade away gracefully. The generous texture reveals a full-bodied, vibrant, and rich fruit expression, leading into a very long finish of red fruits and creamy raspberries.

Food and wine pairings

This Reserva 2021 pairs perfectly with delicate smoked fish, grilled octopus, and refined seafood. It also matches well with dishes that highlight mushrooms and truffles.

A generous, structured Rioja Reserva

The estate

Founded in 1852 by Luciano de Murrieta, with the ambition of producing great wines with significant aging potential by applying techniques learned in Bordeaux, Bodega Marqués de Murrieta embodies the modern winemaking history of La Rioja. An absolute pioneer, it produced and exported the first Rioja wines outside of Spain. Run since 1983 by the Cebrián-Sagarriga family, with Vicente D. Cebrián-Sagarriga and his sister Cristina at its helm, it combines traditional methods with ultra-modern facilities inaugurated in 2021. Its iconic Castillo Ygay, declared a museum in 2019, bears witness to its exceptional historic heritage.

The vineyard

This Reserva comes exclusively from the Ygay estate, located at the southern tip of Rioja Alta. The vines flourish across 300 hectares of clay-limestone soils, at an altitude ranging from 320 to 485 meters.

Winemaking and aging

Hand-harvesting took place from September 27 to October 15, 2021, allowing for a rigorous selection of grapes at optimal ripeness. After destemming, the grapes for the Reserva 2021 fermented in temperature-controlled stainless-steel tanks for 8 to 10 days, with constant skin contact. Pump-overs and punch-downs were carried out to extract color and aromas. Gentle vertical pressing followed, before a particularly long aging period of 26 months in 225-liter American oak barrels, completed by further maturation in concrete prior to bottling.

Grape varieties

This wine is made from 86% tempranillo, 8% graciano, 4% mazuelo, and 2% garnacha.