Marques de Riscal is Riojan Royalty. One of the first great houses founded in 1858, it is a major brand, runs an award winning hotel at it's winery in Elciego and is unique in the area for having the right to grow Cabernet Sauvignon (a grape that is not permitted under Rioja regulations) since the planting pre dates the DO rules.
It's range encompasses the full spectrum from everyday to premium so we took the opportunity to visit for a tour and tasting whilst on holiday nearby. Their grapes for their white wine are grown in Rueda, the balance in Rioja Alavesa. Maturation of their Rioja DO is in American oak, traditional for the area and a tour encompasses all of their onsite wineries, though one is not allowed into the hotel. One of the most interesting points of the visit was a walk through their oldest cellar in which they keep a full catalogue of every single vintage for the last 150 years. Jancis Robinson attended a tasting there a couple of years ago and tasted vintages back to 1900 which were apparently still going strong.
The reserva was a classic Rioja, red fruits, sweet oak and a decent amount of tannin with good balance. Their Rueda 2009 is unoaked, aromatic and herbaceous. Both are excellent and due to the size of the winery the range often feature in the major wine chains and supermarkets in special offers.
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