The English magazine Decanter made a selection of 26 red Rioja wines at the Decanter Tasting Suite which took place in London in February during which a total of 105 wines were tasted. Murua Reserva 2015 made by the Murua Winery, belonging to the winemaking group Masaveu Bodegas, was included in a selection of 26 outstanding red wines. Furthermore, this Rioja winery’s flagship wine was awarded, 95 points, the maximum rating awarded at this tasting. Furthermore, this Rioja winery’s flagship wine was awarded, 95 points, the maximum rating awarded at this tasting.
Pedro Ballesteros says that this is a “warming wine” and that it is finely maturing with its eight years. He also says that it has succulent confit red fruit, with a layer of oak and spice with black pepper.
For Pierre Mansour, Murua Reserva has a “lovely, evocative nose with mocha notes” and on the palate “It has round, smooth, textured, fine tannins and is so harmonious”.
According to Sarah Jane Evans this red reserve Rioja wine “has a classic hue of deep garnet. It’s delicate and complex on the nose, with dry tea leaf notes”, she defines it as “Delicious and balanced”, “light but rich”, and has a very long finish and she ends saying that it is “a masterpiece”.
100% of the vineyard certified organic
After an arduous task, beginning in 2015, to reconvert the vineyard to organic, Murua finally became 100% certified as organic in 2023. This conversion to organic, in line with the sustainable philosophy which defines the entire winemaking group, helps to preserve the quality of the soils by using non-chemical phytosanitary products, develops biodiversity, aids the optimization of water management, conserves air quality, helps to improve energy management and to mitigate and adapt to the effects of climate change.
All of the actions carried out in the winery’s vineyards seek to adapt vine growing to the natural ecosystem without constantly transforming the environment through human actions. To this effect, the winery is working on regenerating the soil, recovering its life and increasing its capacity to capture atmospheric carbon and reduce the concentration of this gas in the atmosphere, one of the causes of global warming. Bodegas Murua has begun to use plant roofing to increase the capacity to absorb CO2, and so, reduce soil degradation, reduce its temperature and increase water retention.
About the Murua Winery in Rioja
Bodegas Murua, belonging to Masaveu Bodegas, is situated in the beautiful town of Elciego, right in the heart of the Rioja Alavesa. In a setting full of breathtaking landscapes, the noble main building maintains the structure of the ancestral homes typical of this area of La Rioja Alavesa.
The winery has belonged to the Masaveu Family since 1974, when it was bought to make wine privately, until, years later, they decided to refurbish the winery and market the wines with a strong commitment to quality.
Murua currently produces 250,000 bottles of wine crafted with an organic philosophy and the respect for the land that defines the winemaking group which has presence in several DO’s in Spain: Murua (DOCa. Rioja), Fillaboa (DO Rías Baixas), Pagos de Araiz (DO Navarra), Leda (Vino de la Tierra de Castilla y León) and Valverán ice cider (Asturias).
Masaveu Bodegas
The Masaveu family first invested in the wine sector in the 70’s, when they purchased Bodegas Murua, however the family’s first vineyards date back to the middle of the 19th century, in Castellar del Vallés, where the family originates from and where Federico Masaveu Rivell began a journey to be continued one century later by his descendants.
Since then, Masaveu Bodegas has grown to become a reference in the sector, due to the quality of their winemaking in several DO´s and their sustainable philosophy and utmost respect for the land in their estate owned vineyards, thanks to which they transmit the unique personality of each terroir in every bottle. This being the common denominator in each and every project initiated by Masaveu Bodegas in different parts of the country: Fillaboa (DO. Rías Baixas), Murua (DOCa. Rioja), Pagos de Araiz (DO. Navarra), Leda (Vino de la Tierra de Castilla y León) y Valverán (Asturias).
