Marqués de Murrieta Rioja Reserva Dalmau
Gabriella
86% Tempranillo 8% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Graciano aged in 225L French oak barrels for 21 months. Dark burgundy red in color with a blood red core. On the nose, gooseberries, black cherry, leather, a touch of charred wood and vanilla come to the surface, surrounded in a cloud of red floral notes. In the mouth, the wine gripes at my palate, showing chalky fine tannins and medium acidity that ends in a long dark cherry finish. Spattered with a touch of anise and black pepper, the wine is intense, needing a big slab of grilled steak to hold up to its girth. 4/5
Ryan
Dark red color with a black edge to it, not very intense but pure in color. Dark chocolate and earth on this nose that is tight right out of the bottle, with an intensity that needs to develop. In the mouth this immediately strikes me as a modern wine with rich chocolate and dark berry flavors. Strong black pepper, minerals, clove, anise, and charcoal. All dark flavors that hide what appears to be a nice black cherry core, though it does seem a bit obscured by a rustic oakiness. Really a bold wine with a high acidity, and strong firm tannins that will take time to develop. I really would like to see this wine in about 5-10yrs. 4/5