Marqués de Murrieta
Marqués de Murrieta Rioja Gran Reserva
2016
Marqués de Murrieta's flagship Rioja Gran Reserva represents the pinnacle of traditional Spanish winemaking, offering remarkable elegance, complexity and ageing potential from one of Rioja's most historic estates.
Country
Spain
Region
Rioja
More information
Producer
Founded in 1852 by Luciano de Murrieta, Marqués de Murrieta is one of Rioja's most historic estates and among the very first to bottle wine under its own name. Located within the Rioja Alta subzone and today owned by the Dalmau family, the estate cultivates approximately 300 hectares of its own vineyards across clay-limestone soils. It remains committed to traditionally structured, oak-aged wines that mature with exceptional grace over decades.
Quick Facts
- Location: Logroño, Rioja Alta, Spain
- Founded: 1852
- Founder: Luciano de Murrieta
- Classification: Rioja DOCa
- Ownership: Dalmau family
- Estate size: Approximately 300 hectares of owned vineyards
- Principal grapes: Tempranillo, Graciano, Mazuelo, Garnacha
- Soils: Clay-limestone
- Grand Vin: Castillo Ygay Gran Reserva Especial
- Modern expression: Dalmau
- Reserva wine: Marqués de Murrieta Reserva Style: Traditionally structured wines with extended oak ageing and exceptional longevity
- Ageing potential: 15 to 30+ years for Gran Reservas, 10 to 20 years for Reservas
A Pioneer of Bottled Rioja
Luciano de Murrieta established the estate in 1852 during a transformative period for Rioja, introducing techniques observed during time spent in Bordeaux. He became one of the first producers in the region to bottle wine under an estate label rather than selling in bulk, a practice that fundamentally reshaped Rioja's identity and commercial reach.
The property was elevated to the title Marqués de Murrieta in 1911, reflecting both its historical significance and the prestige of its wines. Ownership passed to Vicente Cebrián-Sagarriga, Count of Creixell, in 1983, and subsequently to the Dalmau family, who continue the estate's commitment to classical winemaking and patient cellar maturation.
The Estate Vineyard and Rioja Alta Terroir
Marqués de Murrieta controls roughly 300 hectares of contiguous vineyard surrounding its historic winery near Logroño. These holdings lie entirely within the Rioja Alta subzone, recognised for its moderate continental climate, balanced rainfall and clay-limestone soils that encourage structured, age-worthy wines.
Tempranillo forms the foundation of the estate's plantings, contributing elegance, aromatic complexity and fine tannins. Graciano adds tension and aromatic lift, while Mazuelo contributes colour and structure. Small parcels of Garnacha provide fruit and warmth to certain blends. This diversity allows the winemaking team to craft wines of balance and depth across vintages.
The estate's single-property status enables meticulous control from vineyard to cellar, ensuring consistency and expression rooted in a unified terroir.
Castillo Ygay and the Art of Extended Ageing
At the summit of the portfolio stands Castillo Ygay Gran Reserva Especial, one of Spain's most celebrated and collectible wines. Produced only in exceptional vintages, it receives extraordinarily long maturation in American oak barrels followed by extended bottle age before release, often decades after harvest.
The wine combines concentrated fruit, dried flowers, tobacco, cedar and savoury spice with a structure built to evolve gracefully for thirty years or more. Its rarity, complexity and historical continuity have made it a reference point for traditionally aged Rioja.
Dalmau, introduced in the 1990s, represents a more modern interpretation. Dominated by Tempranillo with smaller proportions of Cabernet Sauvignon and Graciano, it is matured in new French oak and expresses concentrated fruit, refined tannins and a more immediate, internationally styled profile while retaining the estate's commitment to balance and longevity.
Tradition Anchored in Oak and Time
Marqués de Murrieta's winemaking philosophy centres on extended oak ageing, primarily in American oak barrels that impart characteristic notes of vanilla, coconut and warm spice. Reservas typically spend two to three years in barrel, while Gran Reservas may remain in wood for four years or longer before bottling.
This patient approach softens tannins, integrates oak and allows wines to develop tertiary complexity while preserving freshness. The result is a collection distinguished by aromatic complexity, savoury depth and the refined, evolved character that defines classical Rioja at its finest.
Country
Region
Rioja
Rioja is widely regarded as Spain's most prestigious wine region and has been the international face of Spanish fine wine for over a century. Located in northern Spain along the Ebro River, the region combines centuries of winemaking heritage with exceptional terroir, producing some of the most age-worthy and collectible wines in Europe. Established as Spain's first Denominación de Calificada (DOCa) in 1991, Rioja represents the benchmark for premium Spanish winemaking and remains synonymous with elegance, refinement and traditional craftsmanship.
The region is divided into three distinct sub-zones: Rioja Alta, Rioja Alavesa and Rioja Oriental (formerly Rioja Baja), each contributing unique expressions of terroir. Rioja Alta and Alavesa benefit from cooler climates, chalky-clay and limestone soils, producing refined and age-worthy wines, while the warmer Rioja Oriental on Mediterranean-influenced alluvial soils yields richer, fuller-bodied styles. Tempranillo is the dominant grape, often blended with Garnacha, Graciano and Mazuelo, while whites are crafted primarily from Viura. The region's signature use of American oak maturation creates wines with distinctive vanilla, coconut and spice notes alongside red fruit complexity.
Rioja is home to legendary estates including López de Heredia, CVNE, La Rioja Alta, Marqués de Riscal, Muga and Roda, many of which have been family-owned for generations. The traditional classification system—Crianza, Reserva and Gran Reserva—reflects extended ageing requirements and remains a hallmark of quality. These producers continue to define excellence in Spanish fine wine, crafting bottles that are sought after by collectors worldwide.
Whether exploring historic vintages, renowned estates or the finest expressions of Tempranillo, Rioja offers an exceptional journey through one of Europe's greatest wine regions. Discover Rioja wines, compare prices from trusted merchants across Europe and find the best offers with Sipfind.
Grapes
Tempranillo is Spain’s most internationally recognised red grape variety and the foundation of many of the country’s greatest wines. It reaches particularly distinguished expressions in Rioja and Ribera del Duero, where differences in altitude, climate and ageing traditions create remarkably diverse styles.
The grape typically combines flavours of red and dark cherry, plum and blackberry with notes of herbs, spice and tobacco. With oak ageing, Tempranillo can develop characteristic aromas of cedar, vanilla, leather and dried fruit, while retaining the balance of fruit, acidity and tannin that gives the finest examples considerable ageing potential.
Tempranillo adapts particularly well to Spain’s continental conditions. In the high-altitude vineyards of Ribera del Duero it can produce concentrated, powerful wines with firm structure, while Rioja is renowned for expressions ranging from vibrant and fruit-driven to complex, traditionally matured wines.
Known locally by names including Tinto Fino, Tinta del País and Cencibel, Tempranillo is grown across much of Spain and has become one of the defining varieties of Spanish wine. Its combination of structure, versatility and ability to express both terroir and maturation makes Tempranillo one of the world’s important red wine grapes.
History and Style
Rioja Gran Reserva is the flagship wine of Marqués de Murrieta, one of Spain's oldest and most prestigious Rioja estates, founded in 1852. This exceptional Gran Reserva embodies the house's commitment to classical Rioja winemaking, showcasing the elegance and longevity that have defined the region's reputation for over a century.
Quick Facts
- Producer: Marqués de Murrieta
- Classification: Gran Reserva
- Region: Rioja
- Appellation: Rioja DOCa
- Country: Spain
- Style: Full-bodied traditional Rioja Gran Reserva
- Grape Composition: Tempranillo-dominant blend (typically 85-90%), often with Graciano, Mazuelo and/or Garnacha
- Ageing Potential: 15-25+ years from vintage
- Alcohol (ABV): 13.5-14%
- Tasting Profile: Red cherry, leather, tobacco, vanilla, cedar, spice, dried herbs, earthy minerality
- Food Pairing: Roasted lamb, aged beef, Iberian cured meats, manchego cheese, game dishes
- Serving Temperature: 16-18°C
- Bottle Status: Flagship
- Vintage: Varies by release (vintage-dated)
Vineyard, Terroir and Style
Produced exclusively in outstanding vintages, the wine draws from the estate's finest vineyard parcels across Rioja's diverse terroirs. Marqués de Murrieta's unique position in controlling significant vineyard holdings in both Rioja Alta and Rioja Alavesa allows for meticulous fruit selection and terroir expression. The extended maturation regime—combining years in oak casks with further bottle ageing before release—follows Gran Reserva regulations while exceeding minimum requirements, ensuring the wine reaches optimal development.
History and Reputation
The result is a wine of remarkable complexity and refinement. Tempranillo forms the backbone, often complemented by traditional Rioja varieties, creating layers of red fruit, leather, tobacco, and spice. The extended oak contact imparts vanilla and cedar notes while softening tannins to silky elegance. On the palate, the wine balances mature fruit character with bright acidity and structured depth, showcasing both immediate pleasure and decades of further ageing potential.
For collectors and enthusiasts seeking authentic, age-worthy Rioja with proven provenance, Marqués de Murrieta's Gran Reserva represents benchmark quality and exceptional value within Spain's fine wine landscape.