CRITIC REVIEWS
Simon Field MW
The magical Murrieta Estate is located on the southern tip of the Rioja Alta sub-region, its manicured vines located close (but not too close) to the town of Logrono, itself on the pilgrims’ route to Compostela. The dynamic Count Cebrián has revitalised this famous name and his winemaker MarÃa Vargas is especially proud of the 2015 vintage; a spellbinding almost aubergine colour and aromatics of blackcurrant pastille, eucalyptus and forest floor; red fruit is a little more prevalent on the palate, cranberry and strawberry in particular. Pashmina texture and an authoritative finish complete the picture.
Luis Gutiérrez
The red blend 2015 Rioja Reserva is 80% Tempranillo with 12% Graciano, 6% Mazuelo and 2% Garnacha, a little more Graciano and Mazuelo, something logical in ripe and warm years like 2015. Its produced with grapes from a diversity of the 30 different plots within the estate, to represent the character of if. It fermented in stainless steel and matured in American oak barrels for 18 months. Its spicy and somewhat balsamic, with some dusty tannins. Its a ripe and powerful vintage that only suffers next to the 2016 I tasted next to it when theres a jump in precision and finesse. This is by far the largest volume produced at Murrieta, with almost one million bottles.