Wine: Marqués de Riscal 1929 Reserva
Winery: Marqués de Riscal (Elciego, Rioja Alavesa)
Appellation / Zone: D.O.Ca. Rioja
Varietals: 60% Tempranillo, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, and others
ABV: 9%
Winery: Marqués de Riscal (Elciego, Rioja Alavesa)
Appellation / Zone: D.O.Ca. Rioja
Varietals: 60% Tempranillo, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, and others
ABV: 9%
Winemaking:
The blend contains a small percentage of white grapes (primarily Viura) harvested from the edges of the vineyards. After manual harvesting and selection, all varietals were vinified together. The wine rested for 18 to 24 months in large, original founding-era oak vats for fermentation and stabilization. It was then matured in neutral 225-liter American oak barrels for 5 to 7 years. Manual barrel-to-barrel rackings were performed every three months during the first three years to avoid filtration. Traditionally fined with fresh egg whites and hand-bottled directly from the cask. The wine was aged for a minimum of 10 years in the winery’s underground cellars before release.
The blend contains a small percentage of white grapes (primarily Viura) harvested from the edges of the vineyards. After manual harvesting and selection, all varietals were vinified together. The wine rested for 18 to 24 months in large, original founding-era oak vats for fermentation and stabilization. It was then matured in neutral 225-liter American oak barrels for 5 to 7 years. Manual barrel-to-barrel rackings were performed every three months during the first three years to avoid filtration. Traditionally fined with fresh egg whites and hand-bottled directly from the cask. The wine was aged for a minimum of 10 years in the winery’s underground cellars before release.
Tasting Notes
Appearance: The cork was fully saturated and swollen, yet perfectly functional. After being port-tongued (degollada)
and partially decanted, the wine reveals an extraordinary
brownish-garnet color with medium-high depth—remarkably dark and opaque.
It could easily pass for a Riscal from the 1970s. Turbid and matte,
with very fine suspended particles and scale-like sediment at the base.
Narrow, tawny (atejado) rim with a sharp contrast against the meniscus.
Nose:
It retains the fullness of its youth with a potency that defies logic;
its "kinetic energy" is overwhelming. An onslaught of aromas: toasted
cocoa, balsamics (mint, After-Eight), star anise, seasoned wood,
chocolate liqueurs, Maraska cherries, candied oranges, and Grand
Marnier. The bottle practically "smokes." Far from fading, after two
hours it maintains an incredible intensity, acquiring subtle nuances of
vanilla, dried fruits (plums, apricots), honey, bûche de Noël, Christmas spices (ginger, cloves, nutmeg), burnt sugar, and cola candy.
Palate:
Exceptional. While it inherits Riscal’s inexhaustible acidity,
concentration, and granitic structure, its soul leans toward the
elegance of historic Paternina or Mariano Lacort. It displays a pure,
off-dry (abocado)
elegance of abyssal depth. Fresh, vivacious, and light to the touch, it
is perfectly bound and discursive—fully integrated with no hint of
senescence.
Commentary:
An immortal wine. To find such vigor and complexity in a bottle from 1929 is a spiritual experience for any enthusiast. It remains structural and vibrant, standing as one of the greatest testaments to the longevity of the Rioja-Cabernet blends of Elciego.
An immortal wine. To find such vigor and complexity in a bottle from 1929 is a spiritual experience for any enthusiast. It remains structural and vibrant, standing as one of the greatest testaments to the longevity of the Rioja-Cabernet blends of Elciego.
Personal Score: 99
Tasting Group Average: 98
Tasting Group Average: 98
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