At A Glance
- Region
- Rioja Alta
- Estate
- Finca Ygay
- Main grapes
- Tempranillo, Cabernet Sauvignon, Graciano, Mazuelo and Viura
- Signature wine
- Castillo Ygay
- Defining feature
- Estate grown fruit, low yields and limited production
The Producer
Finca Ygay surrounds the winery where Marqués de Murrieta makes all its wines from estate grown fruit. Luciano de Murrieta brought techniques learned in Bordeaux to Rioja and made his first Rioja wine in 1852, intending it to age and travel beyond Spain. He exported that vintage to Mexico and Cuba.
Luciano bought the Castillo Ygay estate in 1872. The Cebrián-Sagarriga family has led Marqués de Murrieta Estates and Wines since 1983. Vicente Dalmau Cebrián-Sagarriga took charge in 1996 at age 26 after his father's death. María Vargas leads the vineyard team today.
Place
Finca Ygay lies in the south of Rioja Alta and surrounds the winery. Castillo de Ygay is the headquarters of Marqués de Murrieta and was declared a museum in 2019.
The estate controls the fruit used for production. Its named vineyard holdings include Capellanía, Canajas and La Plana, each attached to a specific wine in the range.
Wines
The range includes Marqués de Murrieta Reserva, Dalmau, Castillo Ygay and Capellanía. Dalmau is the bolder red expression, built from Tempranillo with Cabernet Sauvignon and Graciano. Castillo Ygay is the flagship red, blending Tempranillo and Mazuelo.
Capellanía is a single vineyard Viura white from the Capellanía plot. The estate also makes two small production white wines based largely on Viura. The bottles move from a Reserva red to named vineyard wines, with Dalmau and Castillo Ygay carrying distinct red blends and Capellanía providing the white wine address.
In The Glass
Dalmau is fruit forward, with fresh acidity and silky, velvety tannins. A subtle balsamic note runs through the palate, which has breadth and depth.
Castillo Ygay shows black cherry and ripe plum with tea leaf, cedar, Mediterranean herbs and dried flowers. It is deep and harmonious in the mouth, with smooth tannins and the capacity for long ageing.
A Bottle To Understand It
Choose Dalmau Marqués de Murrieta 2020. It comes from Canajas, a nine hectare single vineyard planted in 1950 at 465 metres. The blend is 82% Tempranillo, 12% Cabernet Sauvignon and 6% Graciano.
The wine spent 17 months in Allier French oak and 13 months in concrete before bottling. One bottle therefore carries a named plot, three grape varieties and two distinct ageing stages.
Final Word
Marqués de Murrieta joins estate grown Rioja fruit to named vineyards and long ageing. Tempranillo leads the red wines, Viura anchors Capellanía, and Castillo Ygay remains the flagship of the range.
Sources
- marquesdemurrieta.com/en/pages/sobre-nosotros-marques-de-murrieta
- top100.winespectator.com/2020/article/the-modern-era-of-marques-de-murrieta
- riojawine.com/en-us/vinos-rioja/marques-de-murrieta
- www.mmdltd.com/producers/marques-de-murrieta
- marquesdemurrieta.com/en/pages/dalmau-reserva
- mmdusa.net/portfolio/marques-de-murrieta/dalmau-reserva/2020
- marquesdemurrieta.com/en/pages/castillo-ygay-tinto-gran-reserva-especial
- marquesdemurrieta.com/en/pages/capellania-reserva
- top100.winespectator.com/2020/wine/1-marques-de-murrieta