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| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 92.7 pts. and median of 93 pts. in 182 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by MikaK on 4/6/2024 & rated 94 points: Just great wine. Licorice, mocha, vanilla and black fruits. Wine is smooth and balanced with integrated, polished tannins and long long finish. Maybe turning to the end of window (680 views) | | | Tasted by flussier on 2/10/2024 & rated 91 points: Robe bourgogne ambrée. Nez charmeur, en bouche, arômes beurre, vanille et boisé. Rond, tannin souple et assez sec. Décanté 30min dans le verre. À mon gout, la barrique est trop présente. Un grand vin, mais peut-être plus dans ma palette. (1240 views) | | | Tasted by tantotinto on 10/16/2023 & rated 93 points: Decant and tasted soon after. Cedar and spice nose. Quiet tannins. Fruit has mellowed. Silky, smooth palate and a long finish. (1755 views) | | | Tasted by Spth115 on 9/9/2023 & rated 93 points: A very special Rioja (18 years old). Aeration and decanted and rested for 3 hours. Very dry (but smooth) upfront, but then the fruit came out and it was delicious. Enjoyed with beef and vegetables. (1775 views) | | | Tasted by Winnje on 9/9/2023 & rated 92 points: Decanted 45 min before, cork broke, but tastes amazing, licorice, cherry, vanilla, dille, cigar box, fresh shaven wood, herbs (1750 views) | | | Tasted by chatters on 1/14/2023: Spanish fun day one (N&J's place, Canberra): From Coravin. Savoury, concentrated, a little vanilla and ripe red fruits, initially with a touch of meat and balsam. With time ripe strawberry joins these, plenty of vanilla and a touch of coconut, a little dill. Juicy, red fruits, sweet spice, vanilla, a little savoury underpin, alcohol warmth, a touch of almost hard greenness. Tannins are dying, mouth filling though quite silky, long, very long in fact, palate nicer than the nose. (3194 views) | | | Tasted by Campelo Filho on 12/10/2022 & rated 97 points: A really great wine. (2502 views) | | | Tasted by tantotinto on 4/26/2022 & rated 94 points: Another superb bottle. Previous notes still apply. Need to remember to use Ah So on these. Corks have frequently broken. (3519 views) | | | Tasted by hkbob on 4/8/2022 & rated 97 points: Consistent with my notes of 18 Dec 2020. This bottle was utterly compelling and the wine is likely at is apogee now. Rioja just doesn't get much better for me. (3163 views) | | | Tasted by Biggsy on 4/1/2022 & rated 94 points: Tasted blind in week four of Blind.Faith’s blind-tasting competition: two reds from the same region. I was nowhere near getting this (nor were many people in the competition with only 2 from 26 going for Rioja). I went for a very impressive Barbaresco with a few years age. So not really close anywhere :-) What I tasted: Ruby red, with a tiny bit of bricking on the rim. The nose is dense with tarry black fruits, maybe a little floral lift. Maybe a touch of wood coming through but not much. The palate is stunningly good; long, velvety and powerful with bright fruit and a hit of expensive tasting oak. A hit of wholemeal toast on the long, long finish. Excellent wine. (3234 views) | | | Tasted by mxpbuy on 1/15/2022 & rated 94 points: Only needed 45 minutes of decant time. Deep red fruits very ripe but not jammy and some black fruits. Very smooth. A little dried herbs, touch of spice, and sweet Oak. (2976 views) | | | Tasted by jdporter3 on 12/22/2021 & rated 94 points: Hard to add much to the other comments. Just a lovely wine at this stage. Have a few more bottles. Fruits are soft, dill well in the back, cigar box perhaps predominant. Even better in the second night. Very drinkable and versatile. Almost silky. I need to be buying more from this house. Very happy to have cellared. (2591 views) | | | Tasted by tantotinto on 11/16/2021 & rated 95 points: Best bottle yet which is saying something in this case. Soft mellow fruit, spice and cigar box predominate but there is so much more. (2172 views) | | | Tasted by Raizes on 9/27/2021 & rated 94 points: 黑樱桃、李子和黑莓，甜美的香草奶昔，搭配同样香甜的雪茄和弗吉尼亚烟草气息，充分展现了成熟浓郁状态下的Rioja经典香气。进度适中的层次变化，良好的酸度和正变得柔顺的单宁，让整体饱满圆润的风格呈现出更多的动态美，并在杯中的演化进程中偶尔露出一抹促狭鲜活的坏笑。 (1866 views) | | | Tasted by putter520 on 9/9/2021 & rated 94 points: Sublime (2225 views) | | | Tasted by tantotinto on 6/1/2021 & rated 94 points: Smooth, full and complex. Soft fruit, spice and umami. Tannins are there but well integrated. Love its versatility. Pairs beautifully with so many dishes. It has been a pleasure to share this wine’s journey. (2747 views) | | | Tasted by Julie Lampe on 3/8/2021: Deep ruby color.
On the nose: Dark Cherry, clay, vanilla, baking spice, heavy cream, blackberry cobbler
Flavors of Cherry, blackberries, vanilla, tobacco, and a hint of cocoa
Full-bodied, moderate acidity, balanced tannins that provide good structure and produce a well balanced wine.
Very good, one of the best wines I’ve had and definitely the best Rioja. (3203 views) | | | Tasted by ChateauDutremble on 2/6/2021 & rated 95 points: Nez complexe d'arômes balsamiques et floraux : caoutchouc, toasté, fraise, épices, chèvrefeuille, sucre d'orge...merveilleux ! Un vin équilibré, harmonieux, fruité, rond, étagé, onctueux. Longue finale...chaude. Superbe ! 95+ (3001 views) | | | Tasted by tantotinto on 1/18/2021 & rated 94 points: Superb again. Note from a year ago still applies. “Soft fruit, umami, spice and touch of oak. Complex and elegant.” An hour in a decanter and it was ready. Cork broke on extraction, Ah-so on next bottle. (2918 views) | | | Tasted by hkbob on 12/18/2020 & rated 97 points: Bright purple-red. Loved the nose with a red-fruited, smoky, spicy, pot pourri elegance. Wonderful tension on the palate with everything in perfect harmony. More red fruit than dark and a long creamy finish. Wow! Kept evolving and changing over the course of several hours until the bottle was finished. Hope the remaining bottles in the case are this good. (2479 views) | | | Tasted by cpost on 11/30/2020 & rated 94 points: Beautiful right now, can't wait to see what a few more years will do. (2812 views) | | | Tasted by chatters on 10/9/2020: Riojan investigation (Frank's place in Matraville): From Coravin. Meaty, slightly dusty, savoury, vanilla extract over ripe red and black hued fruits, a little cream cheese note. The fruit and oak gain weight in the glass on the nose with time. Juicy medium plus acidity, ripe fruit, alcohol warmth, balanced, harmonious, still very primary and rather lovely. (2807 views) | | | Tasted by stevenc.rees@gmail.com on 8/26/2020 & rated 92 points: Superb. Great balance and style. Very highly recommended if you can find some. Drink or hold, but go ahead - open a bottle. (2941 views) | | | Tasted by tantotinto on 8/25/2020 & rated 93 points: Took a couple of hours to open up but superb once it did. (2676 views) | | | Tasted by chatters on 7/14/2020: Phil's Birthday tasting (Phil's place, Putney, Sydney): From Coravin. Baked strawberry, the vanilla more subdued here, sweet spice, tobacco leaf, vanilla grows with time as does the tobacco leaf note. Juicy, spiced, still a bit young for me, strawberry fruit, tight tannins, yum but time. (2935 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| By Simon Field MW
Decanter, Five Rioja vintages to drink now (7/14/2021)
(Marques de Murrieta, Castillo Ygay Gran Reserva Especial, Tempranillo, Rioja, Spain, Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Simon Field MW
Decanter, Marques de Murrieta Masterclass 2019 (11/2/2019)
(Marques de Murrieta, Castillo Ygay, Rioja, Northern Spain, Spain, Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Jancis Robinson, MW
JancisRobinson.com (3/18/2015)
(Marqués de Murrieta, Castillo Ygay Rioja Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By John Szabo, MS
WineAlign (9/3/2014)
(Marqués De Murrieta Castillo Ygay Rioja Gran Reserva Especial, Rioja red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Mike Bennie
The WINEFRONT (7/12/2014)
(Marqués de Murrieta Castillo Ygay Gran Reserva Especial) Subscribe to see review text. | i-WineReview.com, Report 43: Rioja - A New Look (6/1/2014)
(Marqués de Murrieta Castillo Ygay Gran Reserva Especial Rioja) Subscribe to see review text. |
NOTE: Scores and reviews are the property of Decanter and JancisRobinson.com and WineAlign and The WINEFRONT and i-WineReview.com. (manage subscription channels) |
| Marqués de Murrieta Producer Website
U.S. Importer (Addt'l Info)Tempranillo BlendTempranillo is the backbone of wines made ihvhhcn the best well-known Spanish regions Rioja and Ribera del Duero, but is also grown as far afield as Mexico and Australia.
As a flavor profile, red fruits like strawberries and cherries can predominate - but with a rustic edge. The Many wines made from Tempranillo will spend a few years in barrel and bottle before reaching the consumers . Many Tempranillo-based wines see a few years of oak - add that to a few years of bottle and the wine can give a subtle - and occasionaly not-so-subtle - leathery mouthfeel. The combination of the tart fruit and tannins make this wine very food friendly.Spain Vinos de España - Wines of Spain (Instituto Español de Comercio Exterior) | Wikipedia
Wine Map on weinlagen-info
Spain is the third largest wine producing nation in the world, occupying the majority of the Iberian Peninsula with vast diversity in climate, culture, and of course, wine. From inky, dark reds of the [Priorat] to dry, white Finos from Andalusia, Spain can easily boast of elaborating a wide variety of notable styles. Within Spain there are currently 62 demarcated wine regions, of which a handful have gained international recognition: [Rioja], Priorat and [Ribera del Duero]. Yet these regions are only a small sample of the high quality wines Spain produces. Regions such as Cava, Penedes, Somontano, Galicia, Rueda and Jerez are only a few of the numerous regions worthy of exploration throughout Spain. Spain can also lay claim to having the most land under vine in the world, growing up to, by some accounts, 600 indigenous varietals of which Tempranillo is their most well known. Other popular varietals include [Garnacha], Bobal and Monastrell for reds and for whites; the infamous [sic] Palomino Fino grape which is used in the production of sherry wine, Pedro Ximenez in Montilla Morilles, Albarino used in the creation of the bright, effervescent wines of Galicia, and Verdejo in Rueda. - Source: - Catavino.net
Spain is not in the forefront of winemaking for its dessert wines, other than for its sweet wines from Sherry country including the highly revered Olorosos (when sweetened). But apart from Sherry Spain has a range of styles of dessert wines, ranging from the those made from the Pedro Ximenez grape primarily in Jerez and Montilla-Moriles) to luscious, red dessert wines made in the Mediterranean from the Garnacha (Grenache) grape. Some good Moscatels are made in Mallorca, Alicante and Navarre. The northwest corner of Spain, Galicia, with its bitter Atlantic climate, is even making dessert wines, called “Tostadillos” in the village of Ribadivia (similar to France’s “Vin de Paille”). The Canary Islands have made interesting dessert wines for centuries (they are mentioned by Shakespeare, for example) and in recent years the quality of winemaking has been improved and the Canary Islands wines are being better marketed now. The winemaking styles for “Vinos Dulces” are also diverse, from “Late Harvest” (Vendimia Tardía) to “Fortified Wines” (Fermentación Parcial). Based on in-spain.info.La Rioja Consejo Regulador DOC Rioja - Control Board of the D.O.Ca. Rioja
Map on weinlagen-infoLa Rioja Alta Map on weinlagen-infoRioja Consejo Regulador DOC Rioja - Control Board of the D.O.Ca. Rioja
HISTORY
The wine region of La Rioja in Spain was first demarcated by the area's governing body, the Consejo Regulador, in 1926. The region extends for approximately 120 kilometres along both sides of the Ebro River and is, at its widest point, bounded by mountains on either side. In fact, the word 'Rioja' is a derivation of the two words 'Rio' (River) and 'Oja (the name of a tributary of the Ebro that runs right through La Rioja creating a series of microclimates and providing much needed water for the vines).
La Rioja has always been a vital part of Spain's history. Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Romans, Moors, and finally, medieval Crusaders have all played a part in the area's history. The Romans, however, made wine a part of their culture wherever they travelled, and La Rioja was no exception. Ancient sites of Roman wineries still exist in and around the area today.
After the Romans came the Moors, and winemaking all but ceased. It wasn't until after the famous 'El Cid' liberated Spain, and medieval Christianity brought trade via the Crusaders through the region, that it flourished again. The Benedictine monks of Cluny in Burgundy, known for their viticulture, helped to establish three monasteries in the area. The vines they planted were mostly white grapes. In the fourteenth century, English traders acquired a taste for a local Rioja wine, which was a blend of white and red wines called Blancos Pardillos. Over time, development of lighter reds came about satisfying eighteenth century English and French courts.
The real improvements to Rioja's viticulture began around 1780 when the need to prolong wine during transport brought about experimentation with different woods and preservatives. Studies were made of the techniques used by great chateaux in Bordeaux. With the outbreak of the Peninsular War, progress was halted until 1852, when the Bordelais came south to Rioja seeking vines because their vineyards had been blighted with oidium. French winemaking methods were eagerly taken up by great rivals the Marques de Murrieta and Marques de Riscal (who both claim to have been the first in Rioja to make wine in the Bordeaux fashion).
When phylloxera devastated Bordeaux in the 1870s and the French influence really took hold in Rioja, many of the region's finest bodegas started production on what we now consider as the great wines of Rioja. It’s important to remember that Bordeaux winemaking methods then were very different to those employed today in France, and involved long ageing in barrel, a factor that the Riojans took up enthusiastically. So enthusiastically in fact that to this day there are a number of Bodegas that still make their wine in a surprisingly similar fashion to that of the Bordelais in the later part of the 1800s and this also explains why oak ageing is such an important part of Riojan winemaking.
USE OF OAK
Pronounced vanilla flavours in the wines are a trademark of the region though some modern winemakers are experimenting with making wines less influenced by oak. Originally French oak was used but as the cost of the barrels increased many bodegas began to buy American oak planks and fashion them into barrels at Spanish cooperages in a style more closely resembling the French method. This included hand splitting the wood, rather than sawing, and allowing the planks time to dry and 'season' in the outdoors versus drying in the kiln. In recent times, more bodegas have begun using French oak and many will age wines in both American and French oak for blending purposes.
In the past, it was not uncommon for some bodegas to age their red wines for 15-20 years or even more before their release. One notable example of this is Marqués de Murrieta which released its 1942 vintage Gran Reserva in 1983 after 41 years of ageing. Today most bodegas have shifted their winemaking focus to wines that are ready to drink sooner with the top wines typically ageing for 4-8 years prior to release though some traditionalists still age longer. The typical bodega owns anywhere from 10,000 to 40,000 oak barrels.
The use of oak in white wine has declined significantly in recent times when before the norm was traditionally 2-5 years in oak. This created slightly oxidised wines with flavours of caramel, coffee, and roasted nuts that did not appeal to a large market of consumers. Today the focus of white winemakers has been to enhance the vibrancy and fruit flavours of the wine.
WINE CLASSIFICATION
Most Riojan Bodegas believe that the ageing of a wine should be the responsibility of the producer rather than that of the consumer, and this is why much Rioja is more mature than wines from other countries. Rioja red wines are classified into four categories. The first, simply labelled 'Rioja', or 'Sin Crianza' (meaning 'without ageing') is the youngest, spending less than a year in oak. A "Crianza" is wine aged for at least two years, at least one of which is in oak. 'Reserva' is aged for at least three years, of which at least one year is in oak. Finally, 'Gran Reserva' wines have been aged at least two years in oak and three years in bottle. Reserva and Gran Reserva wines are not necessarily produced each year. Also produced are wines in a semi-crianza style, those that have had a couple of months of oak influence but not enough to be called a full crianza. The designation of Crianza, Reserva or Gran Reserva might not always appear on the front label but may appear on a neck or back label in the form of a stamp designation known as Consejo.
SUB REGIONS
Rioja Alta
Located on the western edge of the region, and at higher elevations than the other areas, the Rioja Alta is known for more fruity and concentrated wines which can have very smooth texture and mouth feel.
Rioja Alavesa
Despite sharing a similar climate as the Alta region, the Rioja Alavesa produces wines with a fuller body and higher acidity. Vineyards in the area have a low vine density with large spacing between rows. This is due to the relatively poor conditions of the soil with the vines needing more distance from each other and less competition for the nutrients in the surrounding soil.
Rioja Baja
Unlike the more continental climate of the Alta and Alavesa, the Rioja Baja is strongly influenced by a Mediterranean climate which makes this area the warmest and driest of the Rioja. In the summer months, drought can be a significant viticultural hazard, though since the late 1990s irrigation has been permitted. Temperatures in the summer typically reach 95°F. Twenty percent of the vineyards actually fall within the Navarra appellation but the wine produced from the grapes is still allowed to claim the Rioja designation. The predominant grape here is the Garnacha which prefers the hot conditions, unlike the more aromatic Tempranillo. Consequently Baja wines are very deeply coloured and can be highly alcoholic with some wines at 18% alcohol by volume. The wines typically do not have much acidity or aroma and are generally used as blending components with wines from other parts of
the Rioja.
The Riojans are master blenders (as they have to be because there are relatively few single estates in the area, the norm being to blend from a wide variety of vineyards and wine areas). Consequently they are able to reduce vintage variation by careful blending and many of the best wines vary relatively little between vintages.
VITICULTURE & GRAPES
Rioja wines are normally a blend of various grape varieties, and can be either red (tinto), white (blanco) or rosé (rosado). Rioja has a total of 57,000 hectares cultivated, yielding 250 million litres of wine annually, of which 85% is red. The harvest time for most Rioja vineyards is September-October with the northern Rioja Alta having the latest harvest in late October. The soil here is clay-based with a high concentration of chalk and iron (which provides the redness in the soil that may be responsible for the region's name, Rioja, meaning red). There is also significant concentration of limestone, sandstone and alluvial silt.
Among the Tintos, the best-known and most widely-used variety is Tempranillo. Other grapes used include Garnacha Tinta, Graciano, and Mazuelo. A typical blend will consist of approximately 60% Tempranillo and up to 20% Garnacha, with much smaller proportions of Mazuelo and Graciano. Each grape adds a unique component to the wine with Tempranillo contributing the main flavours and ageing potential to the wine; Garnacha adding body and alcohol; Mazuelo adding seasoning flavours and Graciano adding additional aromas.
With Rioja Blanco, Viura is the prominent grape (also known as Macabeo) and is sometimes blended with some Malvesia and Garnacha Blanca. In the white wines the Viura contributes mild fruitness, acidity and some aroma to the blend with Garnacha Blanca adding body and Malvasia adding aroma. Rosados are mostly derived from Garnacha grapes. The 'international varieties' of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot have gained some attention and use through experimental plantings by some bodegas but their use has created wines distinctly different from the typical Rioja.
Some of the most sought after grapes come from the limestone/sandstone based 'old vine' vineyards in the Alavesa and Alta regions. These 40 year old plus vines are prized due to their low yields and more concentrated flavours. A unique DO regulation stipulates that the cost of the grapes used to make Rioja must exceed by at least 200% the national average of wine grapes used in all Spanish wines.
VINTAGE CHART
Rioja (Red) Year %
2004 Superb vintage, classic wines Drink or Hold 94
2003 Hot, dry year, long-ageing wines Drink or Hold 91
2002 Smallest vintage in 10 years. Variable quality.
Keep to top names Drink or Hold 87
2001 Excellent year for long ageing Reservas
and Gran Reservas Drink or Hold 94
2000 A generally good vintage with fine Reservas Drink or Hold 89
1999 Smaller vintage of good quality Drink or Hold 88
1998 Good vintage Drink or Hold 97
1997 Unexciting so far, but quaffable Drink or Hold 84
1996 Good year, plenty of ageing potential Drink or Hold 89
1995 Very good vintage, Reservas now showing excellent fruit Drink or Hold 92
1994 Outstanding, some great long-ageing wines Drink or Hold 94
1993 Lesser wines, apart from best-known names Drink 77
1992 Rather light vintage Drink 80
1991 Still improving, average quality Drink or Hold 85
1990 Fairly ordinary but quaffable Drink 84
1989 Good, firm structure Drink 88
Rioja Reserva & Gran Reserva – Vintages of the Eighties Year %
1989 Goodish vintage, well balanced Drink 88
1988 Fairly good vintage, well balanced wines Drink 88
1987 Very attractive vintage, now at peak Drink 90
1986 Average year, now drinking well Drink 87
1985 Average year, now drinking well Drink 87
1984 Disappointing, with problem weather Avoid 80
1983 Don't keep it any longer Drink 86
1982 Now past its best Drink 83
1981 Superb wines, finest will keep longer Drink 90
1980 Average vintage, don't keep any longer Drink 86
More vintage charts
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