Gaudium 2021 is a ‘premium’ wine from one of the most renowned wineries in Rioja: Marqués de Cáceres. A limited-production red wine made only in the best vintages, from 6 small plots of very old vines and aged for 18 months in French oak. Winner of the Gold Medal at The Rioja Masters 2023 competition.
Consumption features
Serving temperature
General features
Grape variety
100% Tempranillo
Type of barrel
New barrels of fine and extra-fine grain French oak, with medium toast
Type of bottle
Truncated Conical Bottle
Capacity (cl)
75
General Information
Gaudium is a 'top' wine rated with very high scores in the most important wine guides year after year. Gaudium 2021 is made from tempranillo grapes sourced from small vineyards over 70 years old, with very low yields, located in Rioja Alta and Rioja Alavesa. The harvest was carried out manually, in small batches by plots, and the clusters underwent a double selection at the winery. After gravity-fed vatting, it underwent malolactic fermentation in French barrels. It was aged for 18 months in new French oak barrels of fine and extra-fine grain, selected from the best forests, fire-bent and medium-toasted. Its production was completed with two years of bottle aging before its release to the market.
Marqués de Cáceres has carved out a place among the greatest Rioja brands; it is one of the most renowned Spanish wineries and has exceptional international reach (its wines are available in over 130 countries). It was founded in 1970 in Cenicero by the Valencian Enrique Forner, who applied in Rioja everything he had learned in the French wineries Château Camensac and Château Larose Trintaudon. There, in the heart of Bordeaux, Forner met the legendary oenologist Émile Peynaud, who helped him define the winemaking philosophy for Marqués de Cáceres, innovative at the time.
Bodegas Marqués de Cáceres is now led by the founder's daughter, Cristina Forner. A brand at the pinnacle of the international hierarchy, it counts on one of the world's most renowned winemaking consultants, the Frenchman Michel Rolland. Enjoy now their 'top' Gaudium 2021, a sublime red wine of limited production.
Creators' opinion
Gaudium displays a dark ruby color with bright highlights. On the nose, it stands out for its intensity, depth, and delicate complexity achieved thanks to its aging in fine-grain oak barrels, which imparted pleasant toasted and spicy notes. It is filled with nuances and layers that overlay rich fruit, discreet minerality, and the depth of its special complexity. It is a fusion of sensations ranging from ripe black plum, hints of thyme, and balsamic notes that enrich the final ensemble. Very rich on the palate, with a bold flavor, it glides with great elegance, revealing the breadth of luscious tannins. The tasting finish is very long and refined, with great complexity, offering a range of rich nuances, highly faithful to the sensations encapsulated in its aromas. Great balance and distinction.
The 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.