Bodega Marqués de Murrieta

Winemaker Spotlight: Vicente Dalmau Cebrián-Sagarriga of Marqués de Murrieta

"With a reputation as old as it is illustrious, this is the oldest operating winery in Rioja, founded in 1852 in Logroño by Luciano de Murrieta y Garcia-Lemoine, who applied Bordeaux-learned techniques that marked a turning point for the region’s quality. Purchased in 1983 by Vicente Cebrián and later led by his son Vicente Dalmau Cebrián-Sagarriga, the estate shifted to a 100% focus on wine, bringing in a young team and methodically updating styles over 10–12 years. The release of Dalmau signaled a new era—wines with lots of fruit, less oak, younger oak, and more balance between oak and barrel—winning admiration when judged on the wine alone, while drawing criticism from some who were surprised such modernity came from a classic house. Through it all, the identity remains intact; as Dalmau puts it, he “changed everything so that it would stay the same.”" - Jacob Dean