Marqués De Murrieta Reserva

2020: The first impression of this Marqués de Murrieta 2020 is a miscellany of raspberry, blueberry and cherry aromas enhanced by hints of thyme, rosemary and sandalwood. Straightforward and precise with a juicy fruity profile, moulded by fine tannins and a fresh, pleasant finish.

“One of the most emotional of recent years; a survival vintage marked by COVID that showed the commitment of Marqués de Murrieta to quality. - María Vargas - Technical Director

Wine Advocate 95: Their flagship wine comes from one of the finest vintages in recent times. The 2021 Marqués de Murrieta was previously called the Reserva and still qualifies as such, but it's not included in the name now. It was produced with 86% Tempranillo, 8% Graciano, 4% Mazuelo and 2% Garnacha Tinta from their 300 hectares of vines in their Ygay estate on limestone and clay soils with alluvial influence. The grapes were picked between the 27th of September and the 15th of October, and each plot and variety was vinified separately in stainless steel, matured in American oak barrels for 26 months, then blended and kept in concrete for a few months until bottling, which was a longer élevage this year. It's very spicy, peppery, with a combination of berry fruit and some incipient tertiary aromas, hints of forest floor and truffle. It's very Rioja, with clout, elegance and freshness and the elegant tannins that are the signature of 2021. It comes in at 14.3% alcohol with a pH of 3.6, denoting ripeness and balance. It's delicious, fresh and available. Bravo! This will be released in May 2025. 900,000 bottles produced. It was bottled from May to July 2024.

James Suckling 94: This shows vibrant cherries, spiced plums, blue fruit and superb balance with well-hidden oak. Firm and really harmonious, it has a bit more prominence of fruit and fine-grained tannins than the 2020. Drink from 2026.

Decanter 96: Elegant yet perfectly structured, this is the most floral of the Murrieta Reservas I’ve tasted in recent years. With 8% Graciano and 4% Mazuelo, the nose is perfumed with pretty rose petal and delicate red berry fruit, as well as wild herbal aromas. Blueberry fruit typical of Tempranillo directs the palate, rounded out with a little fleshy Garnacha, and framed by subtle American oak. It offers immediate appeal but will age gracefully for many years to come.

Wine Advocate 96+: The flagship white-label Reserva-style red 2022 Marqués de Murrieta wants to showcase the personality of the estate through blending places and grapes. In the 2022 vintage, it's 85% Tempranillo, 7% Mazuelo, 6% Graciano and 2% Garnacha. In the warmer and drier year, with two important heat waves that hurried things up, the grapes were hand-harvested between the 7th and 23rd of September, quite early, and they fermented separately in stainless steel. The wine matured in 225-liter American oak barrels for 25 months.

Tim Atkin 95: Murrieta’s biggest-volume wine, all 850,000 bottles of it, is a tribute to the blending skills of María Vargas, partnering Tempranillo, 7% Mazuelo, 6% Graciano and 2% Garnacha Tinta. Scented, well balanced and self-assured, it has a frame of perfumed, one-third new American oak, lots of colour and concentration, age-worthy tannins, blackberry and Asian spice flavours and a subtle balsamic undertone. 2027-35