Marqués de Murrieta Blanco Reserva ‘Capellania’ 2018

Description

Marqués de Murrieta was one of the first Rioja Houses to be established, in 1852, by Luciano Francisco Ramón de Murrieta one of the founding fathers of modern Rioja winemaking. The bodega was taken over in 1983 by the Cebrian family and is run today by Vicente Dalmau Cebrian, Count of Creixell. Vicente’s aim is to establish Bodegas Marqués de Murrieta among the best wineries in the world, and the recent vintages show he is doing just that. Working with winemaker Maria Vargas, they are developing and evolving the signature Murrieta style, creating subtle yet age-worthy red wines alongside leading the way for world class white wines from Rioja with Capellania and the rare Castillo Ygay Blanco.

The grapes for Capellania come from the eponymous single vinyeard site, which is situated at an altitude of around 485m, one of the highest points of the Ygay estate. The vines were planted in 1945, so provide wonderfully concentrated grapes for this leading white wine from Rioja.

Grapes are first carefully crushed and after a short period of skin contact are gently pressed in a vertical press for a very gentle extraction preserving all of the aromatic potential. The juice is then settled and fermented in a temperature-controlled stainless steel tank for 24 days. The wine is then aged for 22 months in 225-litre new french oak barrels, and bottled on March 26th, 2021.

The harvest report from authorities in Rioja describes 2018 as “a complex year with a marked Atlantic influence”. The growing season was not without challenges especially in the spring and early summer. Spring was cold and humid with a lot of rain which delayed bud break and showery weather during flowering led to outbreaks of mildew and the need for treatments in the vineyard. The early summer period was also rainy with much hotter sunny weather following in August allowing the vines to catch up. The ripening process continued gradually with cooler weather than usual in September which favoured good balance in the fruit. This year’s harvest was more generous, with far higher volumes than last year while wine styles are said to be fresher and alcohol levels are generally a little lower than recent years reflecting the cooler year.

A really expressive nose with a strong character; white fruit, fine pastry, fennel, laurel and cedar aromas are harmoniously assembled. With nerve and well-structured in the palate; refined and lingering, great depth and lasting finish. It shows excellent potential.

“The use of concrete in the fermentation process has taken Capellanía to a new dimension; longer, more complex and polished”, María Vargas, Winemaker

Capellania pairs well with sea bream, smoked fish, crab linguini, roast chicken, and the cheeseboard at the end of the meal. It's incredibly versatile and also pairs well with Asian dishes.