A SUPERB COLLECTION OF RARE RIOJA SHIPPED DIRECTLY FROM THE CELLARS OF MARQUES DE RISCAL
Herederos del Marqués de Riscal has always been both a pioneer and a benchmark in the wine industry. In 1858, it became the first winery in Rioja to make wines using Bordeaux methods. In 1972 it was first to promote the Rueda appellation - where its famed whites are produced - and in 2006 opened Ciudad del Vino (City of Wine), with a building designed by Canadian architect Frank Gehry. The new complex is also home to a Starwood, The Luxury Collection, hotel, a wine therapy Spa, an exclusive restaurant overseen by Francis Paniego (the first Riojan chef to be awarded a Michelin star at the renowned Restaurante Echaurren), and a centre for business meetings, conferences and banquets. There has also been significant investments in new technology including a new state of the art laboratory and bottle ageing facility. Marqués de Riscal's production in Rioja is approximately 4.5 million bottles a year, and the company markets its products in over 70 countries worldwide. Their wines have earned numerous awards and Marqués de Riscal is regarded as producing some of the finest wines not only in Spain, but also the world.
Currently, Herederos del Marqués de Riscal manages approximately 1,500 hectares of vineyards in Elciego and its neighbouring villages, including 220 hectares of its own. Riscal has built up relationships with growers in the area over many years and has extensive information regarding their vines, soil, grape varieties, cultivation methods, etc. It is common practice at Riscal to carry out the "aclareo" process, or green harvest, which avoids excessive yields not only in Riscal's own vineyards but also in those of the suppliers. This improves the quality of the grapes and enables them to reach full ripeness with increased sugars and colouring matter.
One of the main objectives in the philosophy of Herederos del Marqués de Riscal is the production of high quality wines which are suited to prolonged bottle ageing. Wines are made from grape varieties which provide the adequate structure to enable this to take place. Allied to this is rigorous selection of only the finest grapes, and Herederos del Marqués de Riscal is the only Bodega in Rioja that separates the fruit according to vine age.
Three divisions are made according to the age of the vines; vines that are less than 15 years old, vines aged between 15 and 30 years and vines over 30 years of age. The different grape varieties: Tempranillo, Graciano, Mazuelo and Cabernet Sauvignon are also vinified separately. The grapes from the oldest vines undergo a process of manual selection, so as to eliminate any substandard fruit. Only fruit from vines that are over 15 years old go into production of Riscal's Reservas and Gran Reservas. The rest is used to make rosé wines or is sold off in bulk.
Fermentation takes place in stainless steel tanks with fully automatic temperature control and pumping over. The fermentation temperature does not exceed 28-30:C and the wine is pumped over periodically to extract colours and tannins. Once the alcoholic fermentation is completed, and before racking, the wine is left to macerate on the skins for between five and ten days, until full extraction of the finest tannins has been achieved.
The wine is subsequently run off and the malolactic fermentation begins. Once this is finished, the assemblage of the vintage is carried out, obtaining the wines which will go on to make up the Reserva, Gran Reserva or Barón de Chirel. These wines undergo a period of ageing in American oak barrels (of which the Bodega has approximately 35,000), where they will spend between 24 and 36 months, depending on the characteristics of the vintage and type of wine. During this period, the wines are racked four times in the first year and twice in the following years. At the end of the ageing process, the finishing touches are put to the blends, which are then fined with egg albumin and bottled. Then they are sent to the bottle cellars where they are left to mature for between one and five years, depending on whether the wines are Reservas or Gran Reservas.
Marqués de Riscal Reserva
The Reserva wines of Marqués de Riscal are made from grapes from vines that are older than 15 years. The blend consists of Tempranillo, together with a small proportion of Graciano and Mazuelo. Tempranillo ages well in wood, producing wines with good tannic structure, colour and acidity. Riscal Reserva wines spend approximately two years in American oak barrels, producing a wine which adheres to the principles of classic Rioja with aromas of fruit and toast and intense colour.
Marqués de Riscal Gran Reserva
For the production of Gran Reserva wines, Riscal uses vines that are older than 30 years, either from its own vineyards or from reliable local growers. The wine spends between two and a half to three years in American oak barrels and then a further three years ageing in bottle before release. These wines are characterised by intense red colour, complex aromas, and a smooth velvety mouthfeel on the palate.
Barón de Chirel Reserva
Produced from a Tempranillo dominated blend, this wine originally appeared in 1986, as a result of a winemaking experiment using a selection of grapes from very old vines, (over 30 years old), which have very low yields of extremely high quality grapes. This wine is largely credited with being the pioneer for the proliferation of "new age" styles of wines from Rioja. The wine is produced in very limited quantities, and captures the characteristics of the vineyard, the soil and the variety. Since 1995, Riscal have used sorting tables to rigorously select only the finest grapes. The wine which is aged in American oak for approximately two years is characterised by an intense garnet colour, complex aromas of toast, caramel and vanilla and delicate tannins on the palate.
Frank Gehry Selection 2001
The Frank Gehry Selection 2001 is a wine specifically produced for the Grand Opening of the City of Wine of Marqués de Riscal. For this special occasion Marqués de Riscal produced a limited edition of 5,000 magnums. Each magnum is presented with a label created by Frank Gehry-one of the original sketches of the hotel-and is signed and numbered like a fine work of art.
This wine-100 Tempranillo- was produced from carefully selected grapes from vines over 40 years old and aged in American oak
Marqués de Riscal--Vintage 1863
1 bottle per lot
Details
Lying in Weybridge, Surrey (EHD)
The following lots have been shipped directly from the Bodega. They have been stored in the "sacred cathedrals", deep underground, since they were bottled. This represents a unique opportunity to purchase rare Rioja with impeccable provenance which in most instances is not commercially available
Offered duty-paid, but available in bond
The following lots (375 to 422) have all been recapsuled and have new labels. Levels are around top-shoulder. They are all offered in individual original wooden cases
Marqués de Riscal--Vintage 1863
Rioja. Bodegas Marqués de Riscal
1 bottle per lot
The following lots have been shipped directly from the Bodega. They have been stored in the "sacred cathedrals", deep underground, since they were bottled. This represents a unique opportunity to purchase rare Rioja with impeccable provenance which in most instances is not commercially available
Offered duty-paid, but available in bond
The following lots (375 to 422) have all been recapsuled and have new labels. Levels are around top-shoulder. They are all offered in individual original wooden cases
Marqués de Riscal--Vintage 1863
Rioja. Bodegas Marqués de Riscal
1 bottle per lot