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Marqués de RiscalLa Rioja

€109.70
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Vintage
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TECH SHEET

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Vintage
2020
Country
SpainSpain
Region
La Rioja
Type
Red
Producer
Marqués de Riscal
Winemaker
Luis Hurtado de Amézaga
Grapes
Tempranillootras
Alcohol
15% vol.
Bottle
750 ml

Wine profile

Red · purple

Body
Tannin
Acidity
Alcohol15% vol
Sweetness

Tap or hover a scale

Wine profile · Red

Body

Level 4 of 5 — Full and broad – like single cream

In line with typical (3.8) · Typical: average of 711 reds at Vinogrande

What it is

Body is the weight and texture of the wine in your mouth. It comes mainly from alcohol, extract (everything dissolved apart from water), glycerol and, in sweet wines, sugar.

Where you feel it

Across the whole tongue: how much the wine fills your mouth. Think skimmed milk, whole milk and cream.

How we set this level

For this wine, the level comes from: the typical profile of the grapes (Wine Folly / WSET), as we have no specific data. Estimate

There is no single number for body. Labs measure dry extract (many wines are between 18 and 30 g/L) and alcohol, which WSET says has the biggest effect on body. Our scale rates the weight in the mouth.

The 1–5 scale follows the WSET tasting grid. We start from the producer's technical sheet and Vinogrande's tasting notes, plus measured data where it exists, such as the alcohol on the label. Only when that is missing do we use the typical profile of the style, region or grapes, and we say so.

The 1–5 scale

  1. 1Light: fluid and delicate
  2. 2Medium−: light-ish
  3. 3Medium: rounded
  4. 4Medium+: broad This wine
  5. 5Full: dense and rich

In practice, for this wine

Wants dishes with structure: red meat, roasts, mushrooms, aged cheese.

Wine profile · Red

Tannin

Level 3 of 5 — Present – a gentle grip on the gums

In line with typical (3.2) · Typical: average of 708 reds at Vinogrande

What it is

Tannins come from grape skins, seeds and oak. They give red wines structure and ageing potential, and soften with time.

Where you feel it

On your gums, inside your cheeks and on your teeth: that rough, drying feel, like after strong black tea.

How we set this level

For this wine, the level comes from: Vinogrande's tasting notes and wine description.

Labs measure total polyphenols (the TPI index), but that figure is rarely published. Our scale rates the amount and texture of the tannins in the mouth.

The 1–5 scale follows the WSET tasting grid. We start from the producer's technical sheet and Vinogrande's tasting notes, plus measured data where it exists, such as the alcohol on the label. Only when that is missing do we use the typical profile of the style, region or grapes, and we say so.

The 1–5 scale

  1. 1Low: silky
  2. 2Medium−: soft
  3. 3Medium: present This wine
  4. 4Medium+: firm
  5. 5High: robust

In practice, for this wine

At ease with grilled meat and hard cheese.

Wine profile · Red

Acidity

Level 3 of 5 — Fresh and balanced – like a green apple

Below typical (3.6) · Typical: average of 702 reds at Vinogrande

What it is

Acidity is the wine's freshness: it gives energy, makes your mouth water and helps the wine age. Too little and it tastes flat; too much and it feels sharp.

Where you feel it

On the sides of your tongue, and in how much your mouth waters after you swallow. The more you salivate, the higher the acidity.

How we set this level

For this wine, the level comes from: the typical profile of the grapes (Wine Folly / WSET), as we have no specific data. Estimate

Labs measure total acidity (grams of tartaric acid per litre; most wines sit between 4.5 and 8 g/L) and pH (usually 3.0 to 3.8; the lower, the more acidic). Our scale turns that into how it feels in the mouth.

The 1–5 scale follows the WSET tasting grid. We start from the producer's technical sheet and Vinogrande's tasting notes, plus measured data where it exists, such as the alcohol on the label. Only when that is missing do we use the typical profile of the style, region or grapes, and we say so.

The 1–5 scale

  1. 1Low: soft, little freshness
  2. 2Medium−: gentle
  3. 3Medium: fresh and balanced This wine
  4. 4Medium+: lively, mouth-watering
  5. 5High: crisp, racy

In practice, for this wine

Versatile at the table: grilled fish, poultry, warm salads. Moderate chilling lifts the freshness.

Wine profile · Red

Alcohol 15% vol

Level 5 of 5 — Warm and intense – a lingering heat

Above typical (4.2) · Typical: average of 716 reds at Vinogrande

What it is

Alcohol is made when yeast ferments the grape's sugar. It brings warmth, adds to the body and carries the aromas.

Where you feel it

As warmth in your throat and chest when you swallow, and a slight burn on the nose when it is high.

How we set this level

For this wine, the level comes from: the alcohol stated on the label — On the label: 15% vol.

It is the one axis that is always measured: it comes from the % vol on the label. Still and sparkling wines: under 11% = 1, up to 12.4% = 2, up to 13.4% = 3, up to 14.4% = 4, 14.5% or more = 5. Fortified wines (Port, Madeira…) have their own scale: under 16.5% = 2, up to 18.4% = 3, up to 19.9% = 4, 20% or more = 5.

The 1–5 scale follows the WSET tasting grid. We start from the producer's technical sheet and Vinogrande's tasting notes, plus measured data where it exists, such as the alcohol on the label. Only when that is missing do we use the typical profile of the style, region or grapes, and we say so.

The 1–5 scale

  1. 1Low: under 11% vol
  2. 2Medium−: 11–12.4% vol
  3. 3Medium: 12.5–13.4% vol
  4. 4Medium+: 13.5–14.4% vol
  5. 5High: 14.5% vol or more This wine

In practice, for this wine

Wants rich dishes, served a little cooler to tame the heat. Small glasses, no rush.

Wine profile · Red

Sweetness

Level 1 of 5 — Dry – no sugar you can taste, just fruit

In line with typical (1.0) · Typical: average of 720 reds at Vinogrande

What it is

Sweetness comes from the grape's natural sugar that did not turn into alcohol (residual sugar). A dry wine has almost none; a Port or a late-harvest wine has a lot.

Where you feel it

On the tip of your tongue, right from the first sip, and as a richer, oilier feel in the mouth. Acidity can mask it.

How we set this level

For this wine, the level comes from: the sweetness category recorded on the product sheet (dry, off-dry…).

It is measured in grams of residual sugar per litre. General EU bands: dry up to about 4 g/L, off-dry up to 12, medium-sweet up to 45, sweet above that. On our scale: under 4 g/L = 1, up to 12 = 2, up to 45 = 3, up to 100 = 4, more = 5.

The 1–5 scale follows the WSET tasting grid. We start from the producer's technical sheet and Vinogrande's tasting notes, plus measured data where it exists, such as the alcohol on the label. Only when that is missing do we use the typical profile of the style, region or grapes, and we say so.

The 1–5 scale

  1. 1Dry: no noticeable sugar This wine
  2. 2Off-dry: a touch of sweetness
  3. 3Medium-sweet: clearly sweet
  4. 4Sweet: rich and fruity
  5. 5Very sweet: luscious

In practice, for this wine

Goes with the whole meal, from savoury to mildly spicy. Avoid sweet desserts: they make it taste bitter.

Critics & awards

Serve & enjoy

Temperature 16–18 °CIf the room is above 20 °C, 15 min in the fridge
GlassBordeaux glass
Open ahead 15 min · No decanting

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Description

Marqués de Riscal Barón de Chirel Reserva 2020 is a modern, concentrated Rioja, made only in exceptional vintages. It's made from very old vines (80 to 110 years) in Elciego, which give extremely low yields and high quality.

The first vintage of Barón de Chirel, 1986, responded to a growing interest in high-quality Rioja. From the start, Marqués de Riscal has kept close links with Bordeaux winemaking. At that time, Professor Guy Guimberteau, successor to Émile Peynaud, who had also taught Francisco Hurtado de Amézaga during his oenology training in Bordeaux, was an adviser to Marqués de Riscal. Later, in 1997, Paul Pontallier joined, managing director of one of Bordeaux's five first growths: Château Margaux. From this bond came the idea of an experimental wine reviving the greatness of the legendary Médoc-style Reservas, updated with 20th-century means and technology.

Vines aged between 80 and 110 years with very low yields were selected: grapes of the finest quality, made only in the best vintages, when the vineyard expresses the full character of the terroir. “La Nueva Era de Rioja” had just been born, pioneering what would later be called “high-expression wines”. After its successful arrival in a market hungry for high-quality wines, countless wines began to follow in Barón de Chirel's footsteps, very popular with the most demanding customers.

Tasting Note (Guide Summary)

Andrés Proensa's review singles out this wine as one of Rioja's greatest exponents, combining tradition with flawless modern execution. For the 2020 vintage, the profile focuses on the following points:

Appearance: Intense, very deep cherry red with violet tints that reveal its youth and concentration.

Nose: Remarkable aromatic complexity, with ripe black fruit (blueberries, redcurrants, cassis), mineral graphite notes and floral touches of violets. Nuances of fine spice (clove, pepper), cocoa and tobacco also appear, the result of perfectly integrated oak.

Palate: Powerful and unctuous, with a silky, polished tannic structure. Freshness from the vineyards' altitude brings balance, ending very long, elegant and persistent.

What to serve with this wine

Dishes calculated from this wine’s profile, grapes and region.