Marques de Riscal Baron de Chirel 2018
Country
Spain
Region
Rioja
Producer
Marques de Riscal
Grape(s)
Tempranillo (90%)
Graciano (5%)
Mazuelo (5%)
Type
Red
Style
Smooth
Oaked Style
Oaked
Body Style
Medium bodied
Dry/Sweet Style
Not applicable
Alcohol Content
15%
Closure Style
Cork
Organic/Biodynamic
No
Sustainable
No
Vegetarian/Vegan
Vegetarian
Yes
Vegan
Yes
Allergens
Sulphites
Yes
Milk
No
Egg
No
Region
The region of La Rioja lends its name to Spain`s most widely recognised wines. Rioja is split by three major districts; Alta and Alavesa to the north, which are higher in altitude and the hot dry Oriental district to the south (previously known as Rioja Baja). Tempranillo, Garnacha, Graciano and Mazuelo are the main red grape varieties used however more international varieties can also be used. The traditional aging classification system gives Rioja wines their distinctive style through the influence of extended ageing in oak barrels.
Producer
The origins of the go back to 1858, when the Marques de Riscal, who was resident in Bordeaux, was asked to hire a French winemaker to help the locals improve their winemaking techniques, four years later in 1862 they produced the first ever Rioja wine to be bottled. In 1895 Marques de Riscal was the first non- French wine to win the diploma of honour in the Bordeaux Exhibition. Today the company owns nearly 600 hectares of vines, across La Rioja, Rueda and Castilla y Leon regions. Since 2006 Riscal inaugurated “The City of Wine” including a state-of-the-art winery and a hotel designed by the famous architect Frank O. Gehry.
Tasting Notes
Barón de Chirel was first made in 1986 as the result of experimental production using a selection of grapes from very old vines, between 80 and 110 years’ old, with a very low yield and high quality. The wine is then aged for 20 months in Bordeaux style barrels made of French oak. Finally, the wine spends a minimum time of a year rounding off in the bottle before being released for sale. The resulting wine is a dark cherry colour, lively with few signs of evolution. High aromatic intensity in which the toasted and spicy aromas from the French oak predominate, together with ripe, dark-berried fruit. In the mouth, it is fresh and smooth with soft, polished tannins in which the wood is not too intrusive. Complex and elegant with a long, balanced finish.
Food
Serve with fine cuts of steak, game casseroles, BBQ lamb shanks or cured meats with mature cheeses.
Media
Decanter 96 points October 2023. James Suckling 94 points in 2023 and WIne Enthusiast 97 points & cellar selection. Guia Penin 2024 95 points.
