Marqués de Murrieta, Capellanía Blanco, Gran Reserva, 2019
Marqués de Murrieta, Capellanía Blanco, Gran Reserva, 2019
- 75cl
- 13.5%
- White Still
- Viura
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Optimal drinking window: 2026 - 2035
Est. delivery in autumn, 2026
Marqués de Murrieta is simply one of Rioja’s greatest Bodegas through their iconic Castillo Ygay Red and their stunning Capellanía Blanco. Founded in 1852 by Luciano Ramón de Murrieta he was a founding father for the Rioja region as a whole and was made a “Marqués” in recognition of his service and achievements. The respected wine writer Tim Atkin MW places them amongst his informal 'first growth' Rioja category.
The 2019 Gran Reserva Blanco is a very serious white that hails from the very same calcareous-clay as Castillo Ygay - one of Rioja (and Spain’s) most iconic labels. Capellanía exemplifies Viura’s ability to age as the 6-hectare vineyard is picked on a plateau 485 meters above sea level, the highest point of the Ygay estate and boasts vines back to 1945. After fermenting in concrete, the wine spent 23 months in French oak barrels, followed by 13 months in concrete. The result is a polished, modern style of white Rioja, which can be drunk now or aged further to develop its savoury side.
What the critics say:
"The 6ha Capellanía vineyard at 485m, the highest point of the Ygay estate in Rioja Alta, this 100% Viura was fermented in 9,400-litre concrete vats before ageing 23 months in 225-litre Allier French oak barrels and 13 months in concrete vats, bottled in May 2023. Delicate and enticing saline notes, jasmine and bright citrus open to an elegant palate with perfectly integrated oak. The time in bottle has really made an impact here, producing a very complete and complex wine that clearly has ageing potential but is perfectly ready to drink. Fine-grained woody notes on the finish bring lift and freshness, and invite one to drink more! Class."
"Steely and floral nose of white nuts like macadamias, meringue, star fruit and a touch of green pineapple. Round and full-bodied but surprisingly bright and lively, with vibrant acidity providing the backbone. Really long and pure, while there is also suppleness and fleshiness. From the five-hectare Capellania vineyard, where most of the vines are over 100 years old. One of the best viuras out there. Lovely now, but you should seriously consider aging this."
Finca Ygay sits in Rioja Alta at around 450 metres above sea level, with a continental climate tempered by Atlantic influence from the Cantabrian mountains. Soils are predominantly calcareous clay, which retains moisture in dry summers and imparts the mineral tension that gives Capellanía its backbone. The Viura vine, naturally high in acidity, thrives here in a way it simply does not at lower altitudes, preserving freshness even through extended barrel ageing.
Rioja is Spain's most celebrated red wine appellation, but its white wines have a long and underappreciated history that this style is helping to revive. The DOCa (Denominación de Origen Calificada, the highest tier of Spanish classification) covers three sub-zones — Alta, Alavesa, and Oriental — with Alta generally regarded as producing the most elegant and age-worthy wines. Gran Reserva status for whites requires a minimum of four years ageing, including at least six months in oak, though producers like Murrieta far exceed the minimum.
The 2019 vintage in Rioja delivered what many producers had been hoping for after a string of challenging years. The growing season brought well-timed rainfall in spring followed by warm, dry conditions through summer and harvest, allowing grapes to ripen steadily without the stress that marked some recent vintages. Harvest began in late September under ideal conditions, with producers able to pick at optimal ripeness levels across both Tempranillo and the supporting cast of Garnacha and Graciano.
What emerged were wines with immediate charm but serious underlying structure – Tempranillo showing rich, dark fruit with firm tannins that promise good ageing potential, while Garnacha contributed its typical spicy warmth without the overripeness that sometimes mars warmer years. The quality is consistently high across all price levels, from young wines through to the gran reservas that will define this vintage's reputation. Most 2019 Riojas are drinking beautifully now, particularly the joven and crianza bottlings, whilst the reservas and gran reservas should reward patience until 2030 and beyond.
OUR GROWERS
Marqués de Murrieta
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