The modern red wine from Murua Winery, part of Masaveu Bodegas, M de Murua, has been awarded the Gold Medal for its 2019 vintage at the Vinalies Internationales Competition, held in Bordeaux from March 2 to 5. In its twenty-ninth edition, the competition evaluated more than 2,000 wines from 35 different countries.
M de Murua is one of the flagship wines from the Rioja winery Murua winery, forming part of its most modern line a true example of care in cultivating grapes from its Rioja vineyards. The grapes come from an exclusive selection of the oldest vineyards the winery owns in the Laguardia area of Rioja Alavesa. M de Murua, made from 100% Tempranillo grapes, is vinified in one-piece concrete tanks from the market-leading company Nomblot, and then aged for 18 months in new French oak barrels.
Another distinctive feature of this wine is the meticulous vineyard monitoring made possible by one of the three weather stations owned by the winery, which allows for quick decision-making and proactive responses to potential challenges.
According to French winemaker Mathieu Barrault, “This recognition, especially coming from an international competition held in my home country, is a boost to the great organoleptic qualities of a wine I have always believed in.” This is an exceptional vintage, of which only 3,615 bottles have been produced.
The wine displays a brilliant cherry color with long legs. On the nose, the first notes are subtle yet captivating: blueberries, strawberries, violets, and cherries, gradually reaching great intensity in the glass. Despite its discreet entry on the palate, it later reveals itself as powerful and full of personality. M de Murua offers remarkable aromatic complexity thanks to its aging in French oak barrels.
On the palate, this Rioja wine is elegant, velvety, full-bodied, and has a long, lingering finish. It shows a perfect balance between the structure of the oak and the sweetness of the bouquet, with flavors of licorice and raspberry. It is a wine of extreme elegance on the palate.
100% of its vineyard certified organic
After a strong commitment initiated in 2015 to convert its vineyards to organic farming, Murua now has, as of 2023, 100% of its vineyard certified organic. This shift toward organic cultivation, in line with the sustainable philosophy that defines the entire winery group, has enabled the preservation and improvement of soil quality through the use of non-chemical plant protection products, the promotion of biodiversity, optimal water management, air quality preservation, improved energy efficiency, and both mitigation of and adaptation to the effects of climate change.
Specifically, the actions carried out in the winery’s vineyards aim to adapt vine cultivation to the natural ecosystem without the constant transformation of the environment by human activity. To achieve this, the winery focuses on regenerating the soil, restoring its vitality, and increasing its capacity to capture atmospheric carbon, thereby reducing the concentration of this gas in the atmosphere one of the main causes of global warming. Among its measures, Murua Winery promotes the use of plant cover to enhance CO₂ absorption capacity, thus reducing soil erosion and degradation, lowering soil temperature, and improving water retention.
About the Rioja winery Murua
Murua Wineries S.A., part of Masaveu Wineries, is located in the beautiful town of Elciego, in the heart of
The winery has belonged to the Masaveu family since 1974, when it was acquired to produce wine privately until, years later, the family decided to renovate it and promote it commercially with a strong commitment to quality.
Currently, Murua produces 250,000 bottles made following the ecological philosophy and respect for the land that define the winery group, which is present in several of Spain’s Designations of Origin: Murua (DOCa Rioja), Fillaboa (DO Rías Baixas), Pagos de Araiz (DO Navarra), Leda (Vino de la Tierra de Castilla y León), and the ice cider Valverán (Asturias).
