Excellens Cuvée Especial Crianza 2021
The most modern side of an essential Rioja winery
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Excellens Cuvée Especial Crianza 2021 is the new vintage of the most modern Crianza from Marqués de Cáceres. A different red wine, with more fruit and less oak presence, mainly aimed at the international market. This single-varietal Tempranillo is made from a mosaic of vineyards located in the municipality of Cenicero, in Rioja Alta.
Consumption features
Serving temperature
General features
Type of wine
Region
Grape variety
100% Tempranillo
Type of barrel
New and semi-new French and American oak barrels, medium toast
Type of bottle
Burgundy Bottle
Capacity (cl)
75
General Information
Excellens Cuvée Especial Crianza 2021 is crafted from selected Tempranillo vines in the Cenicero area (Rioja Alta), from different plots ranging between 400 and 600 meters in altitude. The grapes are hand-picked, plot by plot, ensuring optimal ripeness and carefully selected upon arrival at the winery. This high-quality raw material provides various nuances of Tempranillo. The wine gains complexity and forms a very balanced ensemble after 14 months of aging in new and semi-new French and American oak barrels with medium toast, followed by a minimum of 12 additional months in the bottle.
About to celebrate half a century of history, Bodegas Marqués de Cáceres has secured its place among the top Rioja brands; it is one of the most renowned Spanish wineries and has an exceptional international presence (its wines are available in over 130 countries). It was founded in 1970 in Cenicero by the Valencian Enrique Forner, who brought to Rioja all he had learned at the French wineries Château Camensac and Château Larose Trintaudon.
There, in the heart of Bordeaux, this heir to a long winemaking tradition –his grandfather and father founded Vinícola Forner in 1920– met the legendary oenologist Émile Peynaud, who helped him define the enological line for Marqués de Cáceres, innovative at the time. Currently, the winery is led by the founder’s daughter, Cristina Forner, who has been instrumental in the brand’s international expansion. Bodegas Marqués de Cáceres is one of the top-tier Rioja wineries on the international stage and works with one of the world’s most renowned oenological consultants, the French Michel Rolland.
Excellens Cuvée Especial Crianza 2021 is a vegan-friendly wine born from a vintage with very low yields but of high quality.
Creators' opinion
Excellens Cuvée Especial displays an intense ruby color with medium-high depth. A frank and rich expression where black fruit, a touch of licorice, and a pleasant balsamic background blend together. Its aging in noble wood, mainly French, is expressed with elegance and depth, revealing great distinction on the palate. It reflects the full expression of a carefully selected Tempranillo grape from vineyards of different altitudes and exposures, which gives it amplitude and ripe yet vibrant red fruit on the palate. The tasting finish leaves a lasting impression with spicy notes (clove and black pepper). Both its volume and its delicious fruit, along with its silky tannins, reflect the excellent craftsmanship based on artisanal processes.
The winery
Winery
The origins of Marqués de Cáceres date back to the late 1960s, when the Valencian Enrique Forner decided to apply in Rioja the winemaking knowledge he had acquired in Bordeaux during his time at Château Camensac. To carry out his project, Forner sought the advice of the renowned oenologist Émile Peynaud.
The first measure taken by the Valencian was to convince the local grape growers from whom he purchased grapes that he only wanted healthy and ripe fruit. He then built a winery equipped with the most modern technology and revolutionized Rioja's winemaking tradition by implementing shorter aging periods than usual, using French oak barrels. Enrique Forner passed away in 2011, but today it is his daughter Cristina who, accompanied by a select group of professionals, keeps one of Spain's most prestigious Rioja wineries at the top.
In 2014, Marqués de Cáceres expanded its operations to the D.O. Rueda, acquiring 125 hectares of vineyards in La Seca and Serrada, planted with the verdejo and sauvignon blanc varieties. They also built a winery there. In 2019, they extended their reach to the D.O. Ribera del Duero, where they own the Finca La Capilla winery.