Gaudium
⏳ wine.drinking_window
Typically best enjoyed 8 to 20 years from the vintage release, allowing its dense structure and oak integration to mature into a velvety texture.
🍽️ wine.food_pairings
Slow-roasted milk-fed lamb, grilled prime ribeye steak, and mature sheep's milk cheeses such as Manchego.
✨ wine.spec_sheet
Marques de Caceres, founded in 1970 by Enrique Forner with the guidance of legendary Bordeaux enologist Emile Peynaud, played a pivotal role in modernizing Rioja winemaking. Gaudium, which translates from Latin as joy or delight, represents the estate's ultra-premium modern expression. Sourced from select, low-yielding parcels of ancient bush vines—some over 70 years old—in the cool-climate zones of Rioja Alta and Rioja Alavesa, this wine is predominantly Tempranillo with a small addition of Graciano. The old vines impart intense concentration and mineral depth. Unlike traditional Riojas aged in American oak, Gaudium is aged in new French oak barrels for 18 to 20 months, followed by extensive bottle aging. This creates a wine of profound complexity, featuring dark berry fruit, refined tannins, and elegant spice.
🍾 wine.about_producer
Founded in 1970 by Enrique Forner in the historic town of Cenicero within Rioja Alta, Bodegas Marqués de Cáceres revolutionized the Rioja region by introducing Bordeaux-style winemaking techniques, including temperature-controlled stainless steel fermentation and a greater emphasis on fruit purity over excessive oak aging. Today, under the leadership of Cristina Forner, the family-owned estate has expanded its footprint beyond Rioja to Galicia, Rueda, and Ribera del Duero, crafting a diverse portfolio of elegant, expressive wines. The winery is globally renowned for its classic Tempranillo-dominated reds—ranging from the vibrant Tinto Crianza to the prestigious, old-vine Gaudium and Gran Reserva—as well as crisp, barrel-fermented whites like Antea and refreshing rosés.