Excellens Especial
⏳ Drinking Window
2023 - 2028
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Grilled lamb chops with Mediterranean herbs, roasted duck breast, and cured Spanish meats like Jamón Ibérico.
✨ Technical Specifications
Marqués de Cáceres was founded in 1970 by Enrique Forner, who revolutionized Rioja winemaking by introducing Bordeaux-style techniques learned during his family's exile in France, aided by the legendary enologist Émile Peynaud. The 'Excellens Especial' is a modern, gastronomy-focused expression of Rioja Alta, crafted predominantly from old-vine Tempranillo grown in the clay-limestone soils around Cenicero. Unlike traditional Riojas aged heavily in American oak, this cuvée is aged in fine French oak barrels, which imparts a refined structure, subtle spice, and velvety tannins while preserving the vibrant, lush red fruit character of the grape.
🍾 About the Producer
Established in 1970 by Enrique Forner in Cenicero, Marqués de Cáceres spearheaded the modern renaissance of Rioja. Drawing on his experience revitalizing Bordeaux estates like Château Camensac, Forner enlisted legendary oenologist Émile Peynaud to introduce temperature-controlled stainless steel fermentation and French oak barriques, shifting focus toward vibrant fruit character rather than oxidation. Today directed by Enrique's daughter, Cristina Forner, the house collaborates closely with multi-generational growers across Rioja Alta and Rioja Alavesa, cultivating primarily Tempranillo, Garnacha, and Graciano across calcareous clay and alluvial terraces sheltered by the Sierra de Cantabria. Beyond benchmark oak-matured Rioja expressions—such as Crianza, Reserva, Gran Reserva, and the flagship cuvée Gaudium—the estate has strategically broadened its footprint. Its repertoire now includes crisp Verdejo and Sauvignon Blanc from Rueda, Deusa Nai Albariño from Rías Baixas, and method traditional Cava, all maintaining the firm’s hallmark of meticulous quality, freshness, and structural finesse.
🍇 Grapes
Tempranillo, Garnacha, Graciano, Mazuelo