At timeless estates, such as Marqués de Murrieta, there is rarely an opportunity for groundbreaking new steps. When there is, they are always carefully prepared and planned with a long-term vision.

In 1986, at the age of 24, Vicente Dalmau Cebrián-Sagarriga took over the estate, and this wine commemorates that moment. He set the already iconic winery on a new path, preserving its original foundations while creating an unorthodox Rioja prototype, with the addition of a small proportion of Cabernet Sauvignon.

Since then, Dalmau has only been made in outstanding vintages, and its basis is always the estate’s 9-hectare Canajas-vineyard, planted with vines dating back to 1950.

The deepest-coloured, most full-bodied and power-driven red wine of Marqués de Murrieta is a blend of 82% Tempranillo, 12% Cabernet Sauvignon and 6% Graciano.

After harvest, destemming and berry-by-berry selection, a short, 10-day fermentation follows, with each variety placed separately into French wooden vats. From there, the wine is transferred directly into French oak barrels for 17 months of ageing. Before bottling, it undergoes a further 13 months of maturation in cool concrete tanks. Intense, with black berries, a cassis-driven character, blackcurrant and plum. Rounded, finely composed, original.

What truly sets Dalmau apart from other prestigious Riojas is its relatively short ageing, the use of French oak and the inclusion of an international grape variety.