Marqués de Murrieta Reserva 2019

Murrieta was the first estate to export Rioja. 1852. The place has been here longer than most wine regions have had a name. And yet the wine does not taste old-fashioned. That is the trick. The 2019 Reserva is mostly Tempranillo with small amounts of Mazuelo and Graciano, aged in a mix of American and French oak. Dark cherry, leather, sweet tobacco, a vanilla note that comes from the oak but does not overwhelm it. The texture is polished — medium body, fine tannins, a savory finish that lingers without drying your mouth. This is the Rioja I pour when someone says they have never had a good Spanish wine. It converts people. The price is absurd for the quality — $22-30 for a wine that spent two years in barrel and another year in bottle before release. Try finding that kind of patience from a California producer at this price. Cellar it for 5-10 years if you want, but honestly it drinks perfectly right now. That is what makes Murrieta dangerous. You open one and the bottle is gone before dinner is over.