The influential Californian wine critic singles out La Casa de la Seda with 92 points, and also gives an Excellent rating to the single-vineyard wine CV 05 Cabernet Sauvignon, the Cepas Viejas Sericis Monastrell and Sericis Bobal, and the Murviedro Pasión Tinto.
Murviedro wines are making a big impression in James Suckling’s world of wine, with some fabulous scores that have just been published on his website. A total of five wines have been rated Excellent, led by the iconic La Casa De La Seda, a wine from the venerable El Ardal estate vineyard, planted in 1923.
This Bobal wine is refined at the Murviedro Historic Winery in the old centre of La Villa de Requena, where it rests in equal parts in a French oak foudre, in earthenware jars with a capacity of 37 arrobas (just under 600 litres) and in an ovoid concrete tank. Here, valuable natural silk thread was once woven, to make fabrics that have inspired the wine’s label.
Suckling gives La Casa De La Seda 2020 92 points, highlighting its “attractive aromas of blueberries, dried herbs, violets and lavender; its velvety smooth texture, freshness and flavourful fruit; and its mineral finish of fragmented stones”.
The 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon CV 05 Cabernet Sauvignon single-vineyard wine scored 91 Points: “A fresh, juicy red with notes of ripe dark and blue fruits, flowers, dried herbs and crushed stones. Fullbodied, with velvety tannins and good acidity. Dense and delicious. Smooth and chocolatey.”
Another wine classed as Excellent, with 91 points, is the 2017 Sericis Cepas Viejas Monastrell, which Suckling describes as “a rich, flavourful Monastrell with juicy fruit on the palate, medium-bodied with fairly polished tannins, a touch of coffee, spice and damson plums on the finish”.
The 2018 Sericis Cepas Viejas Bobal also scores 91 points. It is liked for its “more refined and elegant expression of Bobal, with aromas of peppercorns and black cherries, with firm, frosted tannins”.
The Murviedro Pasión Tinto 2020 was also Excellent, with 90 Points. Made from Monastrell (90%) and Garnacha grapes it has a “spicy nose with nutmeg, warm spices, blackberries and a touch of fig. Medium-bodied with a generous delivery of dried black fruits and some dark spice on the palate”.
These ratings are an important endorsement of the path taken by Murviedro with a winemaking mentality focused on the origin of the vineyard, in unique plots, with old vines and minimal intervention in the winery. This ensures that each wine reflects the origin of its terroir.