Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/688647
58 { THE SOMM JOURNAL } JUNE/JULY 2016 { steven spurrier's letter from london } by Steven Spurrier THE TASTING Marqués de Riscal These notes have previously appeared in Decanter. 1862–1873 The 1862 set the scene with its red- brown colour and naturally ripe fruit (at 9.5 ABV!) that tasted barely 50 years old; 1863 more fragrant, a lovely almost feminine wine; 1864, 1865 and 1867 still very much alive; 1869 the colour of a 30 year old tawny, sweet and lissom; 1870 a robust contrast like a 1970 claret; 1871 back to warm elegance; 1872 nicely earthy; 1873 perfumed yet vigourous; and 1874 still so young, more Pauillac than Rioja (1866 and 1868 absent). 1874–1884 With vines maturing, this was an excep- tional flight, most wines showing a deep mahogany red colour. 1874 was elegantly robust, full of natural sweetness; 1875 more fragrant with higher acidity; 1876 vibrant and Pomerol-y rich; 1878 earthy, opulent with a Christmas-y spice; 1879 still full of vigour ; 1880 drying out a little, while 1881 still showed red fruits; 1882's fine caressing texture contrasting with 1883's bitter chocolate richness and 1884's "youthful maturity" (1877 and 1885 absent). 1886–1896 A wonderful flight, wines showing purity, warmth and harmony. 1886 and 1887 had dried preserved fruit and lovely smoothness; 1889 younger, broader but less elegant; 1890 almost Burgundian; 1891 rich with chocolate-y concentration; PHOTO COURTESY OF MARQUÉS DE RISCAL A Travel through Time A MONUMENTAL TASTING OF MARQUÉS DE RISCAL OVER TWO DAYS IN MID-NOVEMBER A DOZEN PEOPLE FROM NINE DIFFERENT countries had the unique and very emotional experience of tasting through a full century of Rioja Marqués de Riscal, from Don Guillermo Hurtado de Amezaga's first bottling in 1862 to his direct descendant's splendid 1964, from which only 11 vintages were missing, the remain- ing 92 having slept undisturbed in the cellars known as The Cathedral since their birth. Very few wines had been recorked and none before 1926. Every bottle was opened with Port tongs, the neck coming cleanly away with no disturbance to the sediment. The background to this amazing tasting began in 1858, when the Spanish Government asked Don Guillermo, Marqués de Riscal, who owned vineyards and a winery in Rioja's Elciego village but lived in Bordeaux, to explore ways of persuading the Rioja growers to adopt techniques then being used in the Médoc to make the region's wines more market - able. He engaged Jean Pineau, winemaker at Château Lanessan, who arrived with 9,000 vines of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec and Pinot Noir. Don Guillermo and Pineau began to experiment with grape varieties, vinification meth - ods and barrel regimes. Cabernet Sauvignon was to prove a perfect partner to the local Tempranillo, and Bordeaux barrels were introduced which ensured longevity, consistency and quality. A new winery was built to house the wines, the first bottling being the 1862 vintage. Within five years, the Marqués de Riscal wines began to win prizes and within a generation had achieved international acclaim, the 1895 being the first non-French wine to win the Diplôme d'Honneur at the Exhibition of Bordeaux. From an early date the wines were served to the King of Spain and continue to be supplied to the royal family to this day. My notes can only hint at how moved we were by this Travel through Time, all those present sharing a profound sense of exhilaration that wines could so genuinely represent the vintages as experienced by those who created them.