|
The
wines
of Marques de Murrieta, Rioja, Spain
Website: www.marquesdemurrieta.com
UK agent: MMD
Murrieta may be best known as a traditional Rioja
bodega, but this doesn’t stop them making excellent wines. They’ve
added another high end Rioja in a more modern mould, the Dalmau, which
spends less time in oak, and new French oak for that matter. It’s a
darker, more flashy, international-styled wines that has an immediate
impact, but I prefer the charms of their classic, more thought
provoking Castillo Ygay Gran Reserva, which ages fantastically. The
good news is, with 300 hectares of vineyards, there’s a reasonable
amount of wine made here.
Marques de Murrieta Pazo de Barrantes 2004 Rias
Baixas
This white is fresh, herby and full with bright lemon-tinged
fruit. Quite savoury, but fresh and food friendly. Nice stuff for
drinking now. Very good+ 89/100 (£14)
Marques de Murrieta ‘Capellanía’ Reserva Branco
2000 Rioja
Murrieta’s single-vineyardwhite Rioja is remarkable stuff that
isn’t to everyone’s taste. Fresh lemony nose with lots of vanilla
oak. Tight-knit, bold and spicy. The palate is rich, savoury, spicy
and full. It’s a distinctive wine that needs time.
Very good/excellent 91/100 (£10.50)
Marques de Murrieta Tinto Reserva 2001 Rioja
Nice chunky, savoury, spicy red fruits here. Quite fruity with
some backbone from the savoury, spicy oak. Finishes spicy and quite
structured. Nice stuff, but again this needs some time. Very good+
89/100 (£14.50)
Marques de Murrieta Castillo Ygay Gran Reserva 1998
Rioja
Spent 41 months in oak. Complex yet still tight spicy, earthy,
perfumed casky nose. The palate is soft, bold, complex and spicy with
a nice savoury edge. It’s a really expressive wine. Delicious. Very
good/excellent 92/100
Marques de Murrieta Castillo Ygay Gran Reserva
Historic Release 1978 Rioja
Bottled in 1998, this spent 212 months in oak. Still quite a vivid
colour. Smooth, complex, elegant nose is a but understated, with
herbs, mushrooms, undergrowth and some fruit. The palate is complex
and quite rich with sweet, smooth, vivid fruit and great length. This
is really fantastic: not powerful, but lovely, with some future ahead
of it. Very good/excellent 94/100 (£80)
Marques de Murrieta Dalmau 2001 Rioja
Now for something rather different. This spends a year in all-new
French oak, and there’s 10% Cabernet added for good measure. It’s
an attempt at modern Rioja. The nose shows bold, intense, liqueur-like
black fruits with some sweet oak. The palate is concentrated and full;
lush and ripe; with intense fruit and smooth but firm tannins.
Delicious in a bit of an international style. Very good/excellent
92/100 (£48)
Wines tasted 04/06
Find
these wines with wine-searcher.com
Back to top
|
