Marqués de Riscal 1946 Reserva

Wine: Marqués de Riscal 1946 Reserva

Winery: Marqués de Riscal (Elciego, Álava)
Appellation / Region: D.O.Ca. Rioja
Varietals: 65% Tempranillo, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon
ABV: [Not specified]
Winemaking

Contains a negligible percentage of white varietals—primarily Viura—as it was then common to plant a few white vines at the ends of rows for family consumption, which were also harvested for the winery. The wine spent several months in large oak vats for fermentation and stabilization before being mechanically racked into barrels. It was matured in seasoned 225-liter American oak barrels for 5 to 7 years. Continuous rackings (trasiegos) every three months during the first three years aimed to avoid filtration prior to bottling. Traditional fining with fresh egg whites. Hand-bottled directly from the barrel.

 

Tasting Notes
 

Appearance: Very pale, bright brownish-ruby with medium-low depth; pristine. It shows amber and copper highlights with a broad, tawny (tile-red) rim.

 

Nose: Aromas of great finesse and elegance. It features a subtle patina of seasoned wood, fine cabinetry, black truffle, and fungi (morels, forest floor), alongside an earthy-mineral background of gunpowder and tar. Notes of raisins and slight oxidative rancio emerge, accompanied by liqueur-like hints and highly concentrated red fruit (strawberry tree fruit, sun-dried tomatoes). It gains spicy notes—a potpourri of smoked pepper—which eventually envelop the entire profile, overshadowing other registers.

Palate: Smooth, integrated, and creamy on the palate, without any hard edges; featuring subtle tannins and sufficient acidity. It offers notes of raisins, toasted nuances, and a high-quality hint of sweetness, very characteristic of Riscal. It is quite "settled" (reposado) but shows no issues of excessive reduction. I would not cellar it for much longer.

 

Personal Score: 91
Tasting Group Score: 90