Marqués de Cáceres Rioja Crianza 2019
Grape Varietals: 85% Tempranillo, 10% Garnacha Tinta & 5% Graciano
Growing Region: Rioja - Northern Spain
Owner / Director: Cristina Forner
It has been several years now since I last drove from Barcelona across the dramatic countryside of northern Spain. A most memorable of experiences, still resonant to this day walking through the vineyards that cover the Rioja region. This Crianza red wine is such a consistent and versatile early drinking style that pairs well with a variety of occasions. It undergoes a minimum of two years ageing in a mix of oak barrels and in bottle before release.
The dedicated and passionate winemaking team includes Fernando Costa, Emilio González and Manuel Iribarnegaray. The fruit for this wine comes from a selection of small low cropping vineyards which range in age from 20-30 years, with the majority being sourced from Rioja Alta and the remaining from Rioja Alavesa.
Once the different fruit parcels were ready for harvest, all the grapes were hand-picked, then quickly transported to the winery, where the grapes were de-stemmed and crushed. The fermentation was controlled at varying temperatures starting off at 10°C and then reaching 28°C. Skin-contact was for approximately 21 days and then malolactic fermentation occurred in stainless-steel tanks. Once vinification had finished, the wines are transferred into oak barrels for ageing with racking every six months.
This wine had 12 months ageing and development in a combination of French oak barrels (60%) and the remainder in American oak - in a mix of 25% new, along with 2, 3 and 4-year-old barrels. The wine was then tasted and blended and after resting for a period of time, it was aged in bottle for a minimum of 1 year before it was released in late 2022.
★ In your glass will be greeted by a vivid red colour with luminous highlights. The wine is no shy violet with an expressive aroma of red fruits, fresh spices and an infused vanilla note from the diligent time in mixed oak. The medium-weight palate is casually fruity driven, expressing berry flavours of ripe plums, black cherries and dried herbs and subtle spice nuances, highlighted by natural fruit acidity and all nicely wrapped in balanced fine tannins and deft oak. The palate has an appealing personality and a pleasing engagement and finishes with charming, lingering flavours.
This 2019 Marqués de Cáceres Rioja Crianza has 14% Alc./vol. A classic dry style. No decanting required, serve in a medium shaped red wine glass at 16°- 17°C. *NZ$29.99
CELLARING POTENTIAL: *(Article Posted 27/1/24)
No decanting required. Drinking perfectly well this season, plus, will develop nicely for another 2 - 3 years.
FOOD PAIRING SUGGESTIONS:
Perfect wine pairing with tapas, lamb chops, kebabs, tagine, classic thin-based pizzas, fresh pasta dishes, varied earthy vegetarian dishes, along with aged hard cheeses - enjoy.
