Marqués de Legarda 1920

Wine: Marqués de Legarda 1920
Winery: Bodegas de la Real Divisa (Ábalos, La Rioja)
Appellation / Zone: D.O.Ca. Rioja
Varietals: Tempranillo, Mazuelo, Graciano, Garnacha
ABV: 12.5% vol.

Winemaking:
Manual harvest from estate vineyards and small local growers near Ábalos, in Rioja Alta. The wine remains for 24 to 36 months in large, seasoned wooden vats for fermentation and stabilization, undergoing two gravity-led rackings. It then matures in 225-liter oak barrels for approximately 5 years, with two manual rackings per year. Subsequently, it is transferred to used American oak foudres of various capacities (225 to 600 liters), where it remains for a minimum of 270 months (over 22 years). Bottled directly from the cask upon demand, unfiltered. This specific bottle was commercialized in the mid-1980s.

 

Tasting Notes

 

Appearance: Coppery-ruby color with medium-low depth; remarkably clear, translucent, and brilliant. Although limpid, it presents a very fine sediment at the base. It possesses the visual youth of a "clarete" fifty years its junior. Radiant reddish and amber reflections. Broad, tile-colored rim with subtle differentiation from the meniscus.

 

Nose: Exquisitely fine, characterized by a profound reductive profile that shows no signs of senescence or fatigue. The aromatic intensity is significant, dominated by a musky, animal perfume with a sweet, earthy touch reminiscent of amber. It reveals noble accents of top-tier leather, smoker’s lounge aesthetics, cigar cellars, and fine cabinetry (tung oil). Aeration unveils a concentrated background of grape syrup (arrope) and dried fruit, a testament to its extensive bottle age.

 

Palate: It maintains a weightless, silky, and caressing entry, offering an accent of luxurious wood and vanilla. Spherical and joyous, it displays absolute equilibrium. A persistent flicker of acidity is seamlessly integrated, amplifying the ensemble with elegance. Fresh, linear rather than broad, and profoundly serious.

 

Commentary:
A century-old masterpiece from a theoretically "minor" winery that effortlessly defies the passage of time. This 1920 is a staggering example of the heights Rioja reached a hundred years ago. One cannot help but wonder how many contemporary wines will cross the threshold of the year 2100 with such grace.

 

Personal Score: 95
Tasting Group Average: 95