Rioja Reserva Marques de Caceres 2019
The Rioja Reserva from the Marques de Caceres winery is a full-bodied and tasty red wine perfect for pairing with roasted and grilled meats. It is made with Tempranillo grapes and a small percentage of local varieties, while aging takes place for 15 months in oak barrels. The glass is filled with a dark velvety ruby red cloak and the nose is intoxicated by aromas of cherry and vanilla. The sip is full, soft, long and persistent
Marqués de Cáceres presents its Rioja Reserva as a structured and smooth Bordeaux-style interpretation of the classic local grapes, after the long aging times required by the regulations.
Rioja Reserva is made by Marqués de Cáceres through the blending of the three typical grapes of the area: a majority of Tempranillo, sourced from vines over 30 years old, is complemented by approximately 10% Garnacha and Graciano. The area of origin is represented by the Rioja region, characterized by clay-limestone soils, with plots divided between the Rioja Alta area, whose soils have high iron content, and the Rioja Alavesa area, where the soils are much more chalky. The elevations are quite pronounced and can reach up to 500 meters above sea level, while the climate is predominantly Atlantic in nature: hot, at times scorching, and dry summers are tempered by oceanic winds from the nearby Bay of Biscay. The yields are contained within 50 quintals of grapes per hectare and the harvests, diversified according to the ripeness of each variety based also on the area of origin, are carried out by hand. In the winery, careful destemming of the clusters is performed and direct pressing starts the alcoholic fermentations in stainless steel tanks, at controlled temperature, with prolonged skin macerations. Malolactic fermentations take place in steel and oak barrels, based on the characteristics of the plots of origin of the grapes. The wines then rest for a period of 15 months in French oak barrels, half new and half second or third passage, with racking done every 5 months. The final blending precedes bottling, in which the reserves will rest for an additional 2 years before leaving the Bodega.
Rioja Reserva by Marqués de Cáceres reveals a dense presence, with a dark ruby red color. Refined and complex is the impact on the nose, presenting itself with straightforward and ripe notes of cherry, accompanied by spicy hints and a touch of toasted wood. The sip is full and rich, characterized by a decided but velvety tannic presence balanced by a pleasant freshness, with fruity and dark root references. Perfect to accompany game, vegetable soufflés, and smoked preparations.