Marques de Riscal

The winery is located in the municipality of Elciego in the Spanish Rioja sub-region of Rioja Alavesa. It was founded in 1860 by the Rioja pioneer Marqués Camilo Hurtado de Amézaga (1827-1888). The vineyards cover 210 hectares. The grapes are individually checked by hand. Only Reserva and Gran Reserva quality wines are produced. The traditional Riojas consist of 90 percent Tempranillo and some Graciano, in wetter years Cabernet Sauvignon is also added. The top product is the "Barón de Chirel" (Cabernet Sauvignon, Graciano, Tempranillo) produced in the Bordeaux style, which is aged for 28 months in barrique barrels. The winery has always had special permission to officially use Cabernet Sauvignon in Rioja. About four million bottles of wine are produced annually. At the beginning of the 1970s, the bodega also became active in the DO area Rueda in the Castilla y León region, and with the white wines from Sauvignon Blanc made a significant contribution to the upswing of this area.