[91 Wine Advocate] I had two vintages to taste of the same wine, which always makes for an interesting comparison. The 2011 Rioja Reserva, their volume red, is a blend of 89% Tempranillo, 5% Mazuelo, 4% Graciano and 2% Garnacha Tinta from a diversity of plots in the Ygay Estate. The different varieties fermented separately in stainless steel vats. It matured in 225-liter American oak barrels for some 20 months, at least during eight months in new oak. The wine very clearly shows much riper fruit than the 2012; it is great to see the wine reflecting the much warmer conditions of the harvest. It has a classical profile with an important role of the American oak. The palate is polished and sleek, with very fine tannins and a long finish. 950,000 bottles produced in eight different lots. I tasted a bottle from the bottling in the second half of 2014. In the context of the new Ros and the old white that has just been released, the price here looks unreal (30th Aug 2016)Winery's Notes: Tangible proof of elegance, balance and constancy characteristic of the Marques de Murrieta Winery and its surrounding vineyards situated in the Ygay Estate, it is a red reserva wine with a balanced aging of two years in new and partly new American oak barrels and a year and a half in bottle. The result is an elegant wine that combines complexity and fineness, summing up the best attributes of our identity and actuality. Marqus de Murrieta is more than a brand in the international market, it represents age-old wisdom expressed in one of the most recognized wines of Spain. With our daily work, respect and love for our land, the selection of the best grapes and the attention to detail throughout its almost four years of production, Marqus de Murrieta is a safe and constant value of the best quality.
