Marques de Murrieta Gran Reserva Limited Edition 2016
(Rioja, Spain) - [VM 96] [JS 96] [WA 94+] [WS 92]

About the Winery: 
The story of the Marqués de Murrieta winery is inextricably intertwined with the history of Rioja wine. The winery's founder, the Marqués de Murrieta, imported production techniques into Spain from Bordeaux. In 1852 he produced his first wine in Logroño, moving into the Ygay Estate in the late 1870s. Located at the heart of La Rioja, the estate is home to Ygay Castle, headquarters of the Marqués de Murrieta wineries. The castle is surrounded by 300 hectares of vineyards. 

Notes from the Winemaker:
It is only produced from selected vintages, Marqués de Murrieta Gran Reserva represents the perfect balance between classicism and modernity.

It is made with tempranillo, graciano, mazuelo  and garnacha in the ideal proportion to offer the wine the potential necessary to age more than five years between American oak barrels and bottle. 

Vineyard: 
Grapes are sourced from our Ygay Estate: 300 hectares of vineyards surrounding the winery in the southernmost point of Rioja Alta with mainly calcareous-clay soils. Altitude ranges from 320 to 485 meters.

Winemaking:
Grape varieties are vinified separately. Previously de-stemmed, the grapes ferment in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks. Fermentation takes around 8 and 12 days during which, pumping over and punching down operations are regularly carried out to ensure the contact between juice and skins. Afterwards, the solid parts of the grapes are squashed in a vertical press, by a gentle process that extracts color and ripe tannins from the grape skins.

Over a base of balsamic aromas, there are hints of spices, ripe black berries, cassis, and figs.  The delicate aromatic range is completed with mineral and light earth notes. The wine is refined and it has a lively palate, with silky texture that is wrapped by polished tannins and a long, persistent finish.

Pairing: 
Duck Magret baked with red wine reduction, redcurrants, raspberries and honey mustard. Red mullet in double cooking with truffle mustard and its concentrate.

Grape varieties: 84% Tempranillo, 9% Graciano, 5% Mazuelo, 2% Garnacha.

Alcohol content: 13.5%

Ageing: The wine is aged for 25 months in 225-litre American oak barrels.

Ratings & Reviews

96 Points - Vinous Media:
"The 2016 Gran Reserva is a meticulously crafted blend of 82% Tempranillo, 10% Graciano and 8% Mazuelo sourced from the esteemed Ygay Estate in Rioja Alta. It aged for up to 26 months in American oak barrels. This wine epitomizes the essence of Rioja reds when vineyard management and winemaking precision align with a distinct stylistic vision. Presenting an opaque garnet hue, it entices with a bouquet of complex aromas: plum marmalade, herbal undertones, maraschino cherry, dried fruits, licorice and subtle hints of balsamic and menthol. On the palate, it offers a dry and robust profile with a velvety, juicy texture. The finish is long, balanced and harmonious. The 2016 vintage exemplifies a wine crafted for aging, just beginning to reveal the nuances and intricacies of a bouquet that will evolve with time." Drink 2024-2035. - Joaquín Hidalgo (December 2023)

96 Points - James Suckling:
"Aromas of black berries, black olives, black truffles, autumn leaves and earth. Grilled orange peel. Very complex. Medium-bodied with very fine tannins and a complex and complete finish. Nicely persistent and focused. 26 months in American oak. Drink or hold." (October 2023)

94+ Points - Wine Advocate:
"A barrel selection of the most age-worthy wines from the vintage make the 2016 Gran Reserva Limited Edition, this year a blend of 82% Tempranillo, 10% Graciano and 8% Mazuelo selected from their 300 hectares of vineyards. The grapes were picked between October 10th and 18th. The destemmed and lightly crushed grapes were fermented by plot and variety in stainless steel, and the varieties were aged separately in American barrels for 26 months. It has 14% alcohol, a pH of 3.56 and 5.4 grams of acidity. Tasting this in the context of the current vintages, it's clear that we're talking about a different era—more traditional, meatier, not as precise as other wines from more recent years, quite balsamic but with a solid palate, texture and balance, halfway between tradition and modernity. 67,045 bottles produced. It was bottled in July 2019." - Luis Gutiérrez (February 2024)

92 Points - Wine Spectator:
"A sleek, medium-bodied red, with a subtle sanguine thread winding through flavors of crushed mulberry, plum skin, cured tobacco and hints of dried thyme, lavender and red licorice. Fresh and focused, this is firmed by fine-grained, integrated tannins. Long, creamy finish. Tempranillo, Graciano, Mazuelo and Garnacha Tinta. Drink now through 2034. 5,000 cases made, 300 cases imported." - Alison Napjus (July 2024)