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Miguel Merino Winery Guide

Winery Overview

Tucked away just beneath the gorgeous hilltop village of Briones in Rioja Alta, the Miguel Merino estate makes some of the most elegant wines of the Rioja Wine Region. The setting is lovely, with a tiny experimental vineyard facing the “chateaux” under the backdrop of the 16th-century Cathedral of Nuestra Señora de la Asunción, a stunning church with an exquisite gold leaf retablo, ancient monk’s hymn’s books, and an 18th-century Italian organ. Patchwork vineyards blanket the valley around Briones, and the fantastic Dinastia Vivanco wine museum is just below.

Founded in 1994, Miguel Merino sprang on the world wine scene with a truly memorable and highly awarded first vintage (94) that surprised those in the know by outshining better-known wineries and surpassing even Merino’s lofty expectations. Miguel Merino, a small and elite company with an annual microscopic production compared to the big Rioja players, is focused on quality, not quantity.

Since the winery’s foundation, it has worked hard to maintain its excellent quality level and has attracted attention in Spain and abroad (where some 80 percent of its wines are sold) for silky yet bold wines. The man behind the winery, Miguel Merino himself, is known as an ambitious winemaker whose vision and determination that has been the deciding factor in his bodega’s success. Miguel is one of the most exciting and passionate wine personalities in Spain.

Blending classic Rioja style with a modern edge, Miguel Merino offers a small but impeccably presented range of Tempranillo-based wines marked by their deep color, smooth tannins, spicy undertones, and rich fruit aromas. While recognizably Riojan, the wines have the character and structure not often found in traditional wines. Miguel’s 11 hectares of vineyards are all located in and around beautiful Briones, and some are home to vines 75 years old or older. The entire harvest is done by hand, and every bunch of grapes is carefully hand-inspected. Wines are aged for two years or more in casks made by the prestigious Cooper Murúa, and only Reserva and Gran Reserva wines are produced.

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Further Reading

Author

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James lawrence

With a passion for food & drink that verges on the obsessive, wine writer James Lawrence has traveled the world in search of the perfect tipple. To date, nothing has surpassed the 1952 R. Lopez de Heredia Vina Tondonia Rioja Reserva, tasted in the cobweb-filled cellars with owner María José. Meanwhile, James has been writing for a wide variety of publications for over 12 years, including Telegraph, Decanter, Harpers, The Drinks Business, and Wine Business International. He lives in South Wales and returns to his former university city, Bilbao, as much as possible.

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