Blanco Rueda 2008

 Bin No

 EN5670

 Size

 75cl

 Price

 £8.50

In the D.O Rueda zone, Marqués de Riscal has 225 hectares of vineyard in which it grows, among other varieties, the indigenous Verdejo vine. A versatile grape with lots of character and personality, it is well suited to the area’s extreme conditions, making it possible to obtain fresh white or cask-fermented white wines. Verdejo, together with Viura (the white grape from Rioja), is de-stemmed and cooled, and then macerated in cool conditions so as to extract the maximum aromas from the skins and add texture to the wine. The must, once fined and clear, is left to ferment slowly for 20 days at a controlled temperature of between 13ºC and 15ºC in order to preserve fruit characteristics. After a short maturation time, the wine is bottled during the months of January to March of the following year.

Pale straw-yellow colour. The nose reveals pleasant aromas of blossom and herbs, such as fennel, typical of the Verdejo variety. On the palate it has a fresh, supple sensation with a slight final bitterness which gives it complexity and the very characteristic personality of wines of this variety.

 Sauvignon Rueda 2008

 Bin No

 EN5671

 Size

 75cl

 Price

 £9.50

The French Sauvignon Blanc variety, which Marqués de Riscal uses for this varietal wine, originates from the Loire Valley region. It was introduced in Rueda by Marqués de Riscal in 1974 and today the bodega grows 70 hectares in its estate vineyards. Nowadays it is one of the officially permitted varieties of the Denominación de Origen Rueda, thanks to its ability to adapt to the soil and produce white wines with great aromatic intensity, good balance of acidity and hints of minerals.

The Marqués de Riscal Sauvignon is made in the same way as the Rueda Verdejo. After a period of cold maceration, pressing and fining of the juice, the must is left to ferment slowly at a controlled temperature of between 13ºC and 15ºC, so as to protect the primary aromas which are so peculiar to this variety. Once fermentation is complete, the wine remains in contact with its fine lees in order to increase the sensation of volume in the mouth and to improve its capacity for ageing.

Pale yellow in colour with hints of green. It has a highly intense, fruity nose, with ripe berries, citrus fruit, pineapple and grapefruit. On the palate it has an underlying mineral presence and a fresh and aromatic sensation in the long, lingering finish.

 Limousin Reserva Rueda (oak aged) 2007

 Bin No

 EN5672

 Size

 75cl

 Price

 £11.15

A wine made from carefully selected Verdejo grapes from goblet-pruned old vines, located in the best gritty soils of the highest terraces of the Duero river. This highly adaptable grape, with good acidity, allows optimum fermentation and ageing on the lees in French-oak casks.

The grapes are harvested by hand into 15 kg crates and then the whole grape is pressed without removing the stems. In this way the oxidation of the must is reduced to a minimum and all the aromas, colour and fresh characteristics of the variety are preserved. After some slight clarification of the must, fermentation takes place in French Allier oak barriques, followed by ageing in contact with the lees which can last for 6 to 7 months.

A straw-yellow coloured wine with golden glints. A complex nose with hints of vanilla and wild mountain herbs. On the palate it is dense with underlying fine lees, dried fruits and the typical toasted nuances from the cask ageing process.

 Rioja Rosado 2008

 Bin No

 EN5676

 Size

 75cl

 Price

 £7.95

Marqués de Riscal began making rosé wines in the 60s, to coincide with the winery’s centenary, using grapes from young Tempranillo vines less than 15 years of age. This rosé wine is made by the “saignée” technique as part of a concept of a classic, refined wine, achieving levels of delicacy, crispness and smoothness which are not easy to find in this type of wine. Fermentation is in stainless steel vats at a controlled temperature of between 14ºC and 16ºC in order to obtain maximum fruitiness.

Intense, bright raspberry colour. The nose is of high aromatic intensity, fruity with hints of blossom and raspberry. On the palate it is fresh and supple, with a finish full of delicious, lively, crispness.

 1860 Tempranillo 2006

 Bin No

 EN5673

 Size

 75cl

 Price

 £8.25

Marqués de Riscal has long pioneered the making of top quality wines in Rioja and Rueda. Recently, the company has embarked on a new adventure by making a red wine with a lot of personal character outside the D.O. Rioja. This wine has been created on the basis of freedom from rules and restrictions about production, using carefully selected Tempranillo grapes from the best plots in gritty soil in the alluvial lands of the Duero region. This variety produces highly aromatic wines with good body and colour, backbone and lots of freshness and intensity. The Syrah and Merlot grapes, which are present in the blend in proportions which do not exceed 15%, give the wine greater structure and complexity.

During picking, which is controlled by the Riscal technical department, only ripe Tempranillo grapes which have been exposed to the sun are selected and these are placed in boxes with a maximum capacity of 18 kilos to prevent damage to the berries. Fermentation takes place at a controlled temperature of between 24ºC and 26ºC, with short maceration and vatting times of only a week. The malolactic fermentation occurs in the tank and this is followed by 6 months’ ageing in new American-oak barriques.

A black-cherry coloured wine with slight violet hues. High aromatic intensity, with aromas of ripe dark fruit, fine smoked notes with toasted aromas coming through. On the palate it is meaty and crisp, with a presence of well-polished tannins. Moderate acidity, with a long, pleasant finish in which the oak can be detected more distinctly.

 Gran Reserva (150 Aniversario) 2001

 Bin No

 EN5790

 Size

 75cl

 Price

 £37.85

1858 saw the birth of a dream. Bodegas de los Herederos del Marqués de Riscal began to take its first steps. Throughout its history, the bodega has always been a pioneering, innovative company that the inegrowing sector has looked to for a lead. In 2008, Marqués de Riscal celebrates its 150th anniversary by remaining faithful to its spirit of innovation and producing a special wine to commemorate such an important milestone: Marqués de Riscal 150 Aniversario (Gran Reserva 2001).

Aroma of sun-dried, prune-like fruit and, to a lesser degree, a fragrance of oakiness.

Deep red colour which shades from the dark hues of the bulb of the glass to brick red around the edge.

Smooth sensations fill the mouth, leaving behind a touch of caramel on the soft palate. Smooth on the tip of the tongue and toasted underneath.

 Gran Reserva (Frank Gehry) 2001

 Bin No

 EN5790

 Size

 75cl

 Price

 £340.00

This Frank Gehry wine is the fruit of a careful selection of Tempranillo grapes from vines over 40 years’ old. The plot from which the grapes for the Frank Gehry wine come is located to the north of Elciego and selection follows the Marqués de Riscal approach with ripeness analysis, tasting of the grapes on the vine and selection table. The result is this magnificent, exclusive Frank Gehry 2001 wine.

The Frank Gehry 2001 is a complex, spicy, supple wine with good backbone, very ripe fruit and powerful, juicy tannins, with a long, lingering finish.

 Rioja Tinto Reserva 2004

 Bin No

 EN5674

 Size

 75cl

 Price

 £14.50

The reserva wines of Marqués de Riscal are made principally from Tempranillo vines which are over 15 years old. This is a variety that ages well in wood, producing wines with a good tannic structure, colour and acidity. The reserva wines of Riscal spend approximately two years in American oak barrels, forming a wine that adheres to the principles of classic Rioja wines.

On the nose, hints of fruit enveloped in a series of oak fragances and balsamic aromas.

Red with a slight hint of yellow when still and glints of violet hues when swirled.

In the mouth, a series of smooth sensations moving towards the back of the palate, then returning along the sides of the rear of the tongue with toasted flavours and finishing underneath the tongue at the front with soft, persistent toasted sensations.