Aba de Marques de Riscal
⏳ Drinking Window
2024 - 2035
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Grilled lamb chops, classic Spanish tapas such as patatas bravas and jamón Ibérico, or hearty roasted vegetable stews.
✨ Technical Specifications
Crafted by the legendary Marqués de Riscal, a historic estate founded in 1858 that pioneered modern winemaking in Rioja by introducing Bordeaux techniques, 'Aba' represents a contemporary and highly approachable expression of Spanish red wine. While Marqués de Riscal is world-renowned for its historic cellars in Elciego and its avant-garde winery designed by Frank Gehry, Aba showcases a vibrant, fruit-forward side of their portfolio. Typically crafted primarily from Tempranillo, this red wine benefits from the region's clay-limestone soils and a climate influenced by both Atlantic and Mediterranean breezes. It undergoes careful fermentation in stainless steel to preserve its bright berry aromatics, followed by brief aging in fine oak barrels to impart subtle notes of vanilla and spice without overwhelming its fresh, youthful character.
🍾 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.
🍇 Grapes
Tempranillo, Garnacha, Graciano, Mazuelo