Marques De Murrieta 2018 Rioja Reserva
Marques De Murrieta 2018 Rioja Reserva
The 2018 Rioja Reserva is a blend of 86% Tempranillo, 8% Graciano, 4% Mazuelo (Carinena) and 2% Garnacha.
“The flagship red 2018 Rioja Reserva was produced with a blend of 86% Tempranillo, 8% Graciano, 4% Mazuelo (a.k.a. Cariñena) and 2% Garnacha selected from their 300 hectares of vineyards that exemplifies the character of the vintage and the place. 2018 was a year with good rain and a cool season that resulted in a late harvest, which started on October 1 and was slow and delivered grapes with good freshness. Each variety and plot fermented separately in stainless steel. and the wines aged separately in American oak barrels for 21 months and then settled in concrete until bottling. It follows the path of the 2016, where I noticed a change that is taken further in this, controlling the power and increasing the freshness. It's very aromatic, a year completely different from the 2017; it has less structure and more freshness and subtler balance and enough oomph, concentration and power neatly compensated by freshness. I believe 2018 was a very good vintage to implement this change. It's perfumed, fresh, elegant and medium-bodied, with a velvety texture. Superb!”
— Luis Gutiérrez, The Wine Advocate
94 POINTS
Wine Type
Red Wine
Country
Spain
Region
Rioja
Vintage
2018
Grape
Tempranillo, Graciano, Mazuelo, Garnacha
%Alc
14%
Farming Method
Transition to Organic
Marques de Murrieta is one of Rioja's classic wineries and dates back to the 1800's. Over the past decade or so they have really put tremendous efforts into the health of their vineyards and the results have been impressive.
María Vargas is one of the highest-profile winemakers in Spain, and very much a part of Murrieta’s transformation. She joined the winery as assistant winemaker in 1995, and took over the top position in 2000. Vargas is a brilliant blender as well as a sensitive winemaker, adept at combining the different plots of Murrieta’s vineyards to make exceptional wines with character and quality. "The wine is always subjected to the personality of its origin, Ygay Estate, which is why the most radical modernization at Marqués de Murrieta has taken place in the vineyard."
