Marques de Murrieta Dalmau Reserva 2019 (Rioja, Spain) - [WE 98] [TA 97] [JS 97] [F 97] [WA 95] [VM 95] [DM 95] [WS 93]

Marques de Murrieta Dalmau Reserva 2019
(Rioja, Spain) - [WE 98] [TA 97] [JS 97] [F 97] [WA 95] [VM 95] [DM 95] [WS 93]


$350.00 $249.97 Save $100.03
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WE98 TA97 JS97 F97 WA95 VM95 DM95 WS93
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About the Winery:
Established in 1852, Murrieta is one of the oldest and most respected bodegas in Rioja Alta. Their wines are concentrated and long-lived and some, like “Castillo Ygay", have become legendary amongst wine-lovers. Marques de Murrieta has not stood back and stagnated however; their 300 hectare estate produces Dalmau - a blend which represents an avant-garde expression of their terroir.

The Cebrián-Sagarriga family, who in 1983 acquired the winery, established in 1852, has a distinct winemaking philosophy that is founded in the pursuit of quality and excellence through tradition and innovation. To speak about Dalmau is to speak about Canajas, a unique single vineyard within the 741-acre Ygay Estate. The vines in that vineyard are more than 60 years old and are located at 465 meters. Long maceration during fermentation, aging in new French oak barrels and very limited production characterize the wine.

This modern Rioja wine made from Tempranillo, Cabernet Sauvignon and Graciano perfectly reflects the innovations taking place at Marqués de Murrieta.

Vineyards:  
Within the 300 hectare Ygay estate, surrounding the winery in the southern point of Rioja Alta wine area. There is an altitude difference of 165 metres between the lowest point at 320 metres and the highest peak at 485 metres.

Winemaking:  

Grapes are first carefully destemmed and then each variety ferments separately for 10 days. Tempranillo ferments in stainless steel and cabernet sauvignon and graciano in small oak vats. Pumping over and delestage (rack-and-return) operations are carried out on a daily basis.

The grapes are vinified separately to keep their peculiarities intact. Dalmau 2019 was aged 20 months in 225-liter new French oak barrels from Allier, and then 6 months in concrete vats before bottling.

Varietals: 86% Tempranillo, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Graciano
Alcohol: 14.5%
Aging: 23 months in 225-liter French Allier oak barrels

Tasting Notes:
A bold fruit-forward palate, with fresh acidity and silky tannins gives the wine structure, wideness and depth. With a perfect balance between elegance and power, Dalmau expresses the awesome personality of the vineyard it comes from.                                    

Food Pairing:
Deboned ox tail with red wine, mint and clove flavoring, crunchy fried breadcrumbs; veal shank, potato croquette and red piquillo pepper; dark chocolate truffles. Decanting the wine for 20 minutes is recommended. Best enjoyed between 60º-64ºF.

Ratings & Reviews:

98 Points & Cellar Selection - Wine Enthusiast:
This wine has an enticing bouquet of blackberry, black cherry, violet and clove. Dark berry flavors transition to the palate and are joined by notes of dark chocolate, coffee bean, lavender, anisette and a touch of butterscotch. Polished tannins glide into a lengthy spice- and floral-laced finish." - Mike DeSimone (Jul 2023)

97 Points - Tim Atkin:
“There was no Dalmau in 2018, so the 2019 will be released a little earlier than usual. Made with Tempranillo, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon and 4% Graciano, all of it from the nine-hectare Canajas vineyard, this is structured, inky and wonderfully profound, with some leafy top notes, chalky minerality, dark, brooding liquorice, cassis and blackberry fruit, perfumed French oak and the concentration to reward patience. 2027-2040.” (Oct 2022)

97 Points - James Suckling:
"Deep and intense, yet mineral, with fresh blackberries, blueberries, black olives, pepper and lemon peel. Hints of graphite, cocoa powder, incense and cedar, too. Flavorful and juicy, medium-to full-bodied palate with a zesty quality to the fruit. Very long and eclectic, with a traditional twist to the modern sensibility. 86% tempranillo with 10% cabernet sauvignon and 4% graciano. Nothing hefty here. Better after 2025, when extra complexity will have emerged." (Jun 2022)

97 Points - Falstaff:

"Deep garnet with purple reflections and a broad ochre rim. Dark wild fruits of the forest fruit underlaid with fine wood savouriness, delicate hints of mint and thyme, some bitter chocolate and pepper: a multi-faceted bouquet. Complex, tightly meshed palate with dark berries and ripe sweet cherry. With powerful, vivid, supporting tannins, it is mineral and long-lasting. Still very youthful, the cassis of the Cabernet Sauvignon component becomes somewhat apparent on the finish. A wine from an outstanding year for Rioja, which will continue to grow significantly with a few years of bottle age." (Jan 2024)

95 Points - Wine Advocate:

The 2019 Dalmau Reserva was produced with a blend of 86% Tempranillo, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon and 4% Graciano from Pago Canajas within the property, nine hectares planted in 1945 on red stony soils where they seek low yields to achieve concentration. It's a powerful red with 14.5% alcohol where all the varieties fermented destemmed separately in 13,900-liter oak vats with pumping over and délestage. It matured in French oak barrels for 20 months. There is a big change in this wine that increases its freshness and elegance, and they skipped the 2018 because they were not fully convinced and jumped to this 2019, the first one from the new era, produced in the new winery and fermented in oak vats. The big change is driven by the search for freshness and elegance and the effect of the new fermentation chamber and the fermentation oak vats. This could very well be the finest Dalmau ever produced, with the style of the new era of Marqués de Murrieta. It's a wine with a new and stronger personality that goes beyond the varieties used, so that they feel very integrated and complementing each other. Refined, super elegant and fine tannins frame the palate of this exceptional wine. 15,526 bottles produced. It was bottled in December 2021. They skipped the 2018 vintage of this, and the 2019 will be released in January 2023." - Luis Gutierrez (Jul 2022)

95 Points - Vinous Media:
In 1997, the inaugural release of Dalmau marked a significant moment in Rioja. It symbolized a move toward intensifying the region's wines in a fruit-forward, New World style. The 2019 Dalmau continues to tread this path, showcasing a blend of 86% Tempranillo, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon and 4% Graciano. It hails from the esteemed Pago Canajas within the Ygay Estate, planted back in 1950 in Rioja Alta. Aged for 20 months in French oak barrels followed by an additional six months in concrete vats, this purple-hued wine unfolds with aromas of bay leaf and herbs, intertwined with subtle chutney-like undertones. Layers of black fruit, cassis and delicate hints of mocha and cacao contribute to its complexity. Dry, rich and tightly structured, the wine's reactive tannins and well-balanced palate leave a lasting impression with a substantial mouthfeel. The 2019 Dalmau is a Rioja that elegantly embraces a calibrated nod to the New World style." - Joaquin Hidalgo (Apr 2024)

95 Points - Decanter Magazine:

The 2019 is richly aromatic, with red and blue fruits coming to the fore, followed by fresh spearmint, eucalyptus and a streak of pencil lead. Planted in the 9ha Canajas site at 460m of altitude on calcareous limestone soils. The palate balances such depth of fruit with an uncanny freshness. Peppery elements mingle with mint and wild thyme; ripe blue fruits are balanced with a brilliant minerality that flashes across the silky tannin, delivering a great freshness with each sip. The Dalmau bottling is a departure from traditional Rioja, a special project by president Vicente Dalmau, aimed at creating a new identity of Rioja, or as Vicente says, ‘a new concept from a classic style’ with the use of Cabernet Sauvignon and Graciano, bringing freshness and minerality." - Clive Pursehouse (Jun 2024)

93 Points - Wine Spectator:
This sleek racehorse of a wine is tightly meshed today but opens nicely in the glass, layering a fragrant overtone of spice box, incense, cured tobacco and tar notes with pureed mulberry, orange peel, red licorice and vanilla flavors. Shows good length and focus, structured by dense, fine-grained tannins that are deftly knit to the aromatic profile. Tempranillo, Cabernet Sauvignon and Graciano. Best from 2027 through 2035. 150 cases imported." - Alison Napjus (Jul 2024)