1860 Tempranillo
⏳ Drinking Window
2022 - 2025
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Grilled red meats, roasted pork loin, or aged Spanish cheeses like Manchego.
✨ Technical Specifications
Marqués de Riscal is one of Rioja's oldest and most pioneering estates, founded in the mid-19th century. The 'Riscal 1860' pays homage to the historic year when the first vines were planted at the estate in Elciego using Bordeaux methods introduced by the founder, Camilo Hurtado de Amézaga. While Marqués de Riscal is synonymous with Rioja Alavesa, this particular Tempranillo cuvée is crafted to showcase a modern, fruit-forward expression of Spain's noble grape. It utilizes Tempranillo sourced from selected vineyards, combining traditional short oak aging with contemporary temperature-controlled fermentation to preserve vibrant red fruit, soft tannins, and approachable spice. It represents a bridge between the estate's storied 19th-century origins and modern Spanish winemaking.
🍾 About the Producer
Established in 1858 by Camilo Hurtado de Amézaga, Herederos del Marqués de Riscal pioneered modern viticulture in Spain by importing Bordeaux vinification techniques and oak barrel maturation to Rioja Alavesa. Situated in Elciego, the estate capitalizes on high-altitude vineyards framed by the Sierra de Cantabria, planted on chalky clay-limestone soils under a moderating Atlantic-continental microclimate. In the 1970s, Riscal drove the revival of Rueda, introducing Sauvignon Blanc and rejuvenating indigenous Verdejo. Across both denominaciones, the producer champions sustainable, regenerative viticulture, with all estate vineyards in Rueda certified organic and Rioja holdings transitioning swiftly. Winemaking balances classical European elegance with precision: the Reserva and Gran Reserva bottlings deliver supple Tempranillo infused with Graciano and refined via American oak, while the cuvée Barón de Chirel embodies concentrated, old-vine terroir mastery. Crowned by Frank Gehry's architectural masterpiece, Marqués de Riscal remains a global benchmark uniting 19th-century cellar heritage with contemporary oenology.
🍇 Grape Varieties
Tempranillo, Garnacha, Graciano, Mazuelo