Enologist: Jaime de Simón

D.O.C. Rioja

Grapes: Tempranillo

Ageing: Cold maceration, and temperature-controlled fermentation, so as to preserve intact the grapes' frutal aromas to the extent feasible, and extract the colour as well as possible. 17 months' ageing in American and French oak casks; the wines were also kept in tanks for a few months so as to assemble them well prior to bottling.

Tasting Notes: Medium-high layer ruby red. Away from the centre of the glass, cardinal-red tones that don't change much towards the edge. Intense and elegant aromas of red berries, such as redcurrants and strawberries, together with orange-peel citrus notes. Hints of toasted woods, against a dairy background. Potent on the attack. We're reminded again of the red berries and accompanying toasted notes that our nose just sensed. Potent but velvety tannins. Long-lasting, unctuous and elegant on the aftertaste.   Importers Notes.

Additional Information

The Bodega dates back to the second half of the 19th century, when Francisco Javier Solano y Eulate, the 'Marquis de la Solana' and owner of a large area of vineyards in Villabuena, decided, on the advice of the famous oenologist from Bordeaux, Msr. Pineau, to begin making and aging his wines according to methods imported from Médoc and to start selling them in bottles, after aging, under the label 'Marqués de la Solana'.

Following the enlargement of the bodega’s underground ‘calados’ or caves, the importation of the first wine-making machinery and the introduction of oak casks from Bordeaux, the wines started to win major awards such as the silver medal at the Logroño Exhibition in 1898 and the gold medal at the Universal Exhibition in Barcelona in 1929.

On the death of the Marquis, his property was inherited by his daughters, Mª Teresa and María Solano (grandmother of the current owners), who changed the name of the bodega to Bodegas de Crianza S.M.S. (the abbreviation of the family surnames).

Nowadays, the bodega, which changed its name once again in 1996 to Viñedos y Bodegas de la Marquesa, continues to be a family firm and is owned by Juan Pablo de Simón and his brothers, while the next generation, Pablo and Jaime de Simón (Juan Pablo’s sons) are preparing to take over the running of the company in the future.