About the Wine
"It's aromatic and showy, with elegance and poise, nicely balanced and perfumed with a medium body and very fine tannins, intense flavors and a long finish." ~94 Points, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
La Rioja Alta has been around so long that this estate is a large part of the reason that Rioja is what it is today. This winery is recognized among “The World Most Admire Wine Brands” in 2021 by Drinks International, and these brands are La Rioja Alta, Lagar d Cervera, Aster, and last but not least, Torre de Oña, home to this spectacular wine gem.
Torre de Oña is located in the Rioja Alavesa, a particularly special wine region with an extraordinary terroir. La Rioja Alavesa borders Cantabria to the north, and the Ebano River to the south. The combination of the soil composed of clay-limestone and the beautiful warm weather is a paradise for Spanish native grapes to thrive, especially Tempranillo.
Since 2005, Torre de Oña has been dedicated to the production of high-quality, elegant, award-winning wines. 2014 Torre de Ona 'Finca Martelo' Reserva Rioja is the perfect example of the prime wines that Torre de Oña is delivering to the world.
This generous and harmonious red wine will sweep you off your feet. It's intense and fruit-forward with a fresh palate and smooth, velvety tannins. This is the perfect wine to drink by itself, but if you want to live the full Spanish experience, pair it with paella, roasted meats, and tapas.
“Rioja is a great choice for people who enjoy both structure and elegance.” ~ James Suckling.
Aging: 24 months in new barrels (80% American, and 20% French)
Tasting Notes: 95% Tempranillo and 5% Mazuelo, Garnacha and Viura. It stands out for its intense ruby red color, It uncovers a great intensity of nuances of red fruits, raspberries, cherries, and lingonberries, which surround the balsamic and spicy notes from the aging: vanilla, licorice, dark chocolate, and cloves. On the palate, it stands out for its freshness and balance, friendly acidity, with fatty and silky tannins that give it a good structure and balance. Pair this wine with stewed and roasted meats, and game.
Reviews
This wine is released as Martelo in Spain but that has been renamed as Finca Martelo in the international market. So, I tasted the 2014 again but this time labeled as 2014 Finca Martelo. The wine hasn't changed much since the last time I tasted it; it's aromatic and showy, with elegance and poise, nicely balanced and perfumed with a medium body and very fine tannins, intense flavors and a long finish. It's evolving very slowly, and I wouldn't be surprised if it made old bones. 80,000 bottles produced. ~94 Robert Parker Wine's Advocate.
The vines in this small two-hectare plot on very poor soils, made as a separate wine for the first time in 2012, are all over 80 years' old. The result is a wine with impressive focus and concentration, dense black fruits, refreshing acidity and the texture to integrate the 100% new French oak. 2022-2032 ~94 Tim Atkin.
Intense, dark fruity nose with notes of black cherries, coffee beans, and a hint of vanilla. Pleasant, soft start, well balanced by the present acidity. Ripe tannin. A pleasant wine, rather rich, modern style. ~93 Falstaff.
This rich red delivers a mix of ripe fruit and savory flavors, with cherry, roasted plum, tobacco, loamy earth, and spicy character. Well-integrated tannins and balsamic acidity provide focus. Generous and harmonious. Drink now through 2028. ~92 Wine Spectator.
Plenty of cedar, dark chocolate, and coffee character, but the dried strawberry and cherry character shows through. The tannins are quite pointed but soft and silky, just as the red fruit is quite elegant. A very interesting mix of Riojan craftsmanship and Burgundy style.Drink now. ~92 James Suckling.
Vivid ruby-red. An expressive bouquet evokes red and dark berry preserves, exotic spices and vanilla, and tobacco and potpourri qualities built with air. Supple and seamless on the palate, offering appealingly sweet cherry cola and black raspberry flavors, along with hints of mocha and candied rose. Fine-grained tannins add a subtle grip to a long, lively finish that strongly echoes the floral note. Sourced from a two-hectare plot of vines and raised in new oak barrels, 80% French and 20% American. ~92 Vinous Media.
***Free Shipping on 6 or More Bottles of This Wine***
You're
bottles away from free shipping.
