Marqués de Murrieta Etiqueta Blanca 1980

Wine: Marqués de Murrieta Etiqueta Blanca 1980
Winery: Marqués de Murrieta (Logroño, La Rioja)
Appellation: D.O.Ca. Rioja
Varietals: 50% Tempranillo, 40% Garnacha, 10% Mazuelo
ABV: 12.9%

Winemaking
The wine spent 12 months in tanks to complete malolactic fermentation and settle before being transferred to wood. It matured for 24 months in seasoned 225-liter American oak barrels. The wine underwent membrane filtration prior to bottling. It was aged for a minimum of 18 months in the winery’s subterranean bottle cellars (calados) prior to its commercial release.

 

Tasting Notes

 

Appearance: Remarkable color stability for its age. A very clean, medium-depth ruby-red with brilliant reddish and orange highlights. It displays a clear, broad, brick-colored rim with notable contrast against the meniscus.

 

Nose: The cork is impeccable, showing no signs of age. The bouquet opens with powerful aromas of candied red fruit (plums, strawberries, and black cherries) and glazed sour cherries, followed by a liqueur-like hint of ripe sloes and pacharán. It rests on a perfumed varietal foundation of dried petals, withered flowers, and sun-dried tomatoes. Open and expressive, it shows no traces of excessive reduction; the oak influence is subtle, contributing only soft creamy notes, aromatic coffee, and a shy hint of cocoa butter.

 

Palate: Consistent with the aromatics, the wine is vigorous, full-bodied, and robust. It is savory and honest, devoid of artifice or pretensions of complexity. It has aged astonishingly well, carrying "tons" of reduced red fruit supported by the signature high acidity characteristic of historic Murrieta bottlings. High-quality bitters—nearly balsamic, mentholated, and piquant—add freshness to the ensemble. Even after all these years, it maintains its structure and tannins. Honest and rustic; a wine truly meant for enjoyment.

 

Personal Score: 92
Tasting Group Score: 91

Tasting Notes (2013-02-22)

 

Appearance: The bottle was in poor condition—torn capsule and stained label—yet the cork remained excellent. Medium-depth ruby; brilliant, clean, and showing almost no variation between the meniscus and the rim.

 

Nose: Clean and powerful, featuring an exuberant amount of stewed red fruit, sun-dried tomatoes, wine-soaked staves, and coffee beans. It represents a style unto itself: lacking grand complexity but crafted with impeccable precision. It continues to expand and gain presence as it breathes.

 

Palate: Remarkable poise (entereza). Full-bodied, unctuous, and austere, it shows a concentrated profile with the Garnacha in its prime. Fruity, piquant, and spiced, it possesses a charming rusticity. The wine has aged without losing its structural integrity, maintaining ample tannins and vivacity. All of this is underpinned by the signature bracing acidity of historic Murrieta, which fills the entire palate. A truly notable wine from a lesser vintage where it is rare to find such standouts—confirming that this "Etiqueta Blanca" could sometimes emerge as a "toad" and others as a "prince."

 

Personal Score: 93
Tasting Group Score: 93

Etiqueta del Marqués de Murrieta 1950 Blanco Reserva (embotellado en 1970)