Marques de Murrieta

Established in 1852, Murrieta is one of the great traditional Rioja houses, but unusual in that its wines all come from fruit grown in their own vineyards, the 300 hectare Ygay estate in Logroño and the wines receive long ageing almost exclusively in American oak. The range of wines is surprisingly small comprising two whites, a rosado and four reds. For reds there are two Reservas – a very traditional one and then Dalmau, a modern take that has some Cabernet in it and is aged in French barrique – a Gran Reserva and a Gran Reserva Especial, Castillo Ygay, which is perhaps the finest wine made in the entire region and is world class wine by any definition. The Capellania Blanco Reserva is one of the most pleasurable white Riojas on the market, whilst the Castillo Ygay Blanco Gran Reserva Especial is one of the rarest, typically spending over 20 years in barrel. It is complex and utterly unique.