Reserva
⏳ Drinking Window
2023 - 2032
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Classic roasted lamb, grilled ribeye steak, and aged Manchego cheese.
✨ Technical Specifications
Marqués de Riscal is a titan of Rioja's winemaking history, founded in 1858 by Guillermo Hurtado de Amézaga, who brought revolutionary Bordeaux techniques to the region. This Reserva is iconic, instantly recognizable by its signature gold wire mesh—originally introduced by the Marqués to prevent counterfeiters from refilling empty bottles with inferior wine. Crafted primarily from Tempranillo grown in the clay-limestone soils of Rioja Alavesa, and blended with small portions of Graciano and Mazuelo, the wine undergoes traditional aging in American oak barrels for approximately two years, followed by further refinement in the bottle. The result is a classic Rioja style, balancing ripe dark fruit, balsamic notes, toasted oak, and smooth, elegant tannins.
🍾 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