| Region of production: | Rioja Alta |
| Winery Location: | Logroño |
| Year Established: | 1852 |
Vineyard Holdings
300 ha
Top Wines Produced & Inaugural Vintages
- Castillo Ygay Gran Reserva Especial: 85% Tempranillo, 15% Mazuelo, from the La Plana vineyard, planted in 1950. The grapes are destemmed and undergo fermentation separately in stainless steel vats. The Tempranillo is aged in American oak and the Mazuelo in French barrique for 28 months before being blended, bottled, and aged for about three years before release.
- Capellanía Reserva: 100% Viura from Capellanía Vineyard, planted in 1945. Prior to fermentation, the juice undergoes brief skin contact. The wine is aged in new French barrique for about a year and a half, with an additional year in bottle.
Average Total Production
- N/A
Summary
Marqués de Murrieta is one of the largest bodegas in Rioja, established by Luciano de Murrieta in 1852, although the winery did not receive its current name until years later. As a young man, Luciano enlisted in the army and eventually became the aide-de-camp to a general named Baldomero Espartero. After Espartero was deposed from Spain along with Murrieta, they fled to London. Murrieta began dreaming of a future in the winemaking business and eventually went to Bordeaux to study winemaking, which would greatly influence his future style and techniques.
When Murrieta returned to Spain, Espartero, then living in Rioja, offered him grapes and a cellar to begin producing wines. In 1852, Murrieta produced his first Rioja wine. It wasn’t until 1872 that Murrieta acquired his own estate and vineyards, a 300-ha plot called Ygay in the southern reaches of Rioja Alta. He quickly began gaining recognition for his wines.
Murrieta passed away in 1911 without any direct descendants to continue operations at the winery. The estate fell into the hands of his nephew. In 1983, it was purchased by Vicente Cebrián Sagarriga, Count of Creixell, whose family runs the winery today.
Style & Vinification Techniques
The winery uses mostly classic Rioja varietals such as Tempranillo, Mazuelo, Garnacha, and Graciano and employs both French barrique and American oak casks for aging. One of its more modern efforts is a bottling called Dalmau, in which Cabernet Sauvignon is blended with Tempranillo. This wine undergoes extraction and is aged in new French barrique.
Producer Website: Marqués de Murrieta