Barón de Chirel 2020

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.