Rioja: Marques de Murrieta Reserva 2008
Last month a friend and I tried the Spanish Rioja, Marques de Murrieta 2008. I had asked our waiter for a red wine that would pair nicely with our steak dinner and this Tempranillo blend was suggested. I don’t know much about Spanish wines but I do enjoy Tempranillo, which tend to be full-bodied red wines.
At our waiter’s suggestion we had the bottle decanted and it certainly helped the wine open nicely. Because we were in a dim lit restaurant it is hard to say what the color of the wine is but it appeared to be quite a deep red and while it lived up to the hype with a bold taste it finished a bit quickly to my liking. Since trying the wine I’ve read a handful of reviews (some of which are not that flattering) and I have to wonder if it is coloring my impressions. I did enjoy the bottle and thought it priced fairly; retail pricing appears to range between $15 – $25 a bottle. If you like Spanish Riojas I would certainly suggest trying the wine and think this bottle would make for a great option if you are going to a wine tasting with friends.
BosGuy 