Marques de Murrieta Rioja Reserva is one of the most consistent and exceptional examples of Rioja Reserva produced in Spain’s most famous wine region. It is aged for 18 months in a combination of new and used French oak before being aged in bottle for a further two years prior to release. The wine is mainly Tempranillo (80%), with the remaining fifth made up from 12% Graciano, 6% Mazuelo and 2% Garnacha. It is a complex and elegant wine with rich red fruit, balsamic notes, leather, savoury spice and a sappy, heady finish. Truly affordable fine wine.

Marques de Murrieta was the first estate to establish the concept of a “Chateau” in the iconic La Rioja region of Spain. Luciano Murrieta produced his first wine in 1852 after travelling to Bordeaux where he was heavily influenced by the area’s structure and wine-making techniques. At the time, the idea of building a castle or chateau with the vineyards around it was unheard of in Spain, but by the 1870s he had his castle and surrounding 300 hectares of vineyards. The estate was purchased in 1983 by the Cebrian-Sagarriga family, who meticulously rebuilt the castle between 2007 and 2014 and turned it into what can only be described as a modern-day Bond villain’s lair, complete with restaurant, museum, underground cellar network and one of the finest lounges in Europe.