95% Tempranillo, 5% mixed Mazuelo (Carignan), Viura, and Graciano • Sourced from Finca Martelo, planted in the 1950s at 630m elevation on limestone-rich soil • destemmed and fermented in tank • raised for 24 months in 80% house-coopered American oak barrels and 20% French oak barrels, both used • manually racked four times during oak elevage • 8 months additional aging in tank before bottling
Info
Producer:
Vintage:
2019
Country:
Spain
Region:
La Rioja
Appellation:
Rioja
Variety:
Tempranillo
Color:
Red
Farming Practice:
Practicing Organic
Sizes Available
| Full Bottle | ES-ONA-21-19 | 6/750ml |
Press & Reviews
Wine Advocate
Score
94+
Date
2024-03-25
"The 2019 Finca Martelo comes from property planted with a blend of 95% Tempranillo and 5% Mazuelo, Garnacha and Viura at 630 meters in altitude that they only bottle in very good or excellent years. The 2019 was picked starting October 15th, and the destemmed grapes were put through optical sorting, a five-day cold soak and then fermented in stainless steel and went through malolactic in new French and American oak barrels. The élevage was in 80% American and 20% French oak barrels and lasted for two years, during which time it was racked four times. 2019 feels like a very complete harvest for Martelo; the wine is very harmonious and balanced, with power and freshness, intensity and persistence. The palate is surprisingly fresh, medium-bodied and fine-boned, clean and elegant. 80,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in April 2022."
James Suckling
Score
93
Date
2023-08-24
"Scented and expressive nose with fresh cherries, plums, strawberries, stones, mussels and fine sweet spices. Fresh, juicy and medium-bodied on the palate with chalky tannins and a long, linear finish. 95% tempranillo and 5% mazuelo, garnacha and viura. Very drinkable. Already approachable, but can hold, too."
Tim Atkin, MW
Score
93
Date
2024-09-29
Vinous
Score
92
Date
2024-04-18
"The 2019 Reserva Finca Martelo is a blend of 95% Tempranillo with 5% Mazuelo, Garnacha and a dash of Viura from Rioja Alavesa. It aged for 24 months in American oak (80%) and French oak (20%). Displaying a garnet hue, the aromas include cherry and sour cherry, along with blueberry and licorice notes, complemented by hints of vanilla and caramel. Indulgent, with fine-grained tannins, the delicate palate lingers long, concluding with a flavorful finish. This wine represents a distinctive and tasty Rioja style."
Wine Spectator
Score
91
Date
2024-04-04
"Toast and vanilla accents join flavors of cherry preserves and roasted plum, plus cured tobacco, mineral and spice hints. Chewy, well-integrated tannins work alongside the tang of orange peel acidity to structure this polished red. Tempranillo, Garnacha, Mazuelo and Viura. Drink now through 2029. 6,500 cases made, 1,300 cases imported."A.N."
REVIEWS FROM PAST VINTAGES
2015
Wine Advocate
Score
94+
Date
2020-10-30
2015
Vinous
Score
93
Date
2021-04-20
2015
Wine Spectator
Score
92
Date
Decanter
Score
95
Date
2023-04-04
"Part of the La Rioja Alta group since 1995, Torre de O¤a in Rioja Alavesa has divided its vineyards into subplots, studying and characterising each one and making and ageing wine from each one separately. The grapes for this reserva come from 60-year-old vines and were harvested by hand. The 2016 vintage saw optimal weather conditions during one of the longest harvests in the winery,s history. Sarah Jane Evans MW: Rich, enticing and juicy, with lot of sweet spice, ripe fruit and earthy notes. Savoury and appetising in the mouth. A great wine that,s bound to live for many years. Pedro Ballesteros Torres MW: Silky and juicy, layered with oak, pomegranate, redcurrant conserve and basil. Complex and long. Pierre Mansour: With hints of leather and spice, and ripe, textured tannins, this is a textbook reserva. Medium length."
Wine Advocate
Score
95
Date
2022-07-18
Wine Advocate
Score
95+
Date
2025-02-27
"The elegant and creamy 2021 Finca Martelo is mostly Tempranillo with around 5% other grapes, including Mazuelo, Garnacha and even white Viura, from three vineyards, Martelo, Camino de la Iglesia and Altos de Las Cuevas, the last two representing only 7% this year. For the first time, part of their Vi¤edos Artesanales wines were not bottled on their own. This wine will have more of these grapes from other vineyards in the future, and they are adding complexity to the wine. The grapes were cooled down to four degrees Celsius and put in the vats to macerate and warm up until fermentation starts. Malolactic was in American and French oak barrels and lasted two months, and the wine completed an šlevage of two years, 80% in American oak barrels and 20% in French ones. It's ripe, gastronomical and elegant, with ripeness, 14.5% alcohol and the freshness of the year, with the signature and the tannins from 2021, sweet and silky and very elegant. It's very balanced and young and should develop nicely in bottle. 80,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in June 2024."
Wine Advocate
Score
94
Date
Jeb Dunnuck
Score
94
Date
2025-07-31
"From a special vineyard planted to 60+-year-old vines, the 2021 Finca Martelo is a field blend of 95% Tempranillo and the rest Graciano, Mazuelo, Garnacha, and Viura co-fermented together. Soft, earthy, and spicy in subtle black cherry and plum, it is medium-bodied and aged 24 months in French (20%) and American (80%) oak, made in a modern style for earlier approachability. It succeeds, reaching a lovely balance of elegant suppleness and length. Drink now through 2031."
John Gilman
Score
93
Date
2023-07-10
James Suckling
Score
93
Date
2025-10-16
"This shows good aging complexity with refined hazelnut chocolate, caramelized citrus, licorice, cloves and preserved plums. Firm and fine-grained, this has medium to full body and a long, structured finish. A blend of 95% tempranillo with mazuelo, garnacha and viura. The vineyard is over 60 years old. Drink from 2026."
Tim Atkin, MW
Score
93
Date
2025-02-27
"This blend of Temparnillo and 5% Mazuelo comes from three separate parcels in P ganos - Altos de Las Cuevas, Camino de la Iglesia and Martelo - and one in cooler Elvillar. Curated in American and 20% French oak, it marks a shift in style towards greater freshness, showing bright plum and red berry fruit flavours, fine tannins, scented oak sweetness and a mineral core. 2026-2035"
James Suckling
Score
92
Date
Vinous
Score
92
Date
2025-05-22
"The 2021 Finca Martelo is from Rioja Alavesa and spent two years in American and French oak. Garnet in hue, it presents ripe fruit aromas of blackberry and plum with field herbs, balsamic hints and a bed of oak before vanilla, lactic and cedar notes emerge in time. Smooth and delicate on the palate, with fine tannins and balanced acidity, this ends with a lengthy finish and has the potential to improve in bottle."
Wine Spectator
Score
92
Date
2025-10-31
"A sleek, harmonious red, this shows mouthwatering focus, with flavors of chopped black cherry and black raspberry, cedar, cocoa powder and wild rosemary framed by sculpted tannins. The tang of minerally iron and saline chimes on the finish. Drink now through 2035. 6,666 cases made. "AN"
Wine Spectator
Score
90
Date
2024-08-31
"This has good focus to the flavors of baked black cherry and wild strawberry, sandalwood, dark chocolate and dried thyme in an accessible, medium-bodied package. This is enlivened by a touch of orange peel acidity, while light tannins firm the finish. Tempranillo, Garnacha, Mazuelo and Viura. Drink now through 2026. 6,500 cases made, 1,300 cases imported."