Martinez Lacuesta are an iconic name in Rioja, having been around since 1895 (the estate predates the establishment of the Rioja designation itself). They were one of the first to export their wines in the early 1900s and paved the way for others to do the same. In the last 20 years, there have been significant investment in the vineyards, a top-notch winery and cellars that opened in 2009. This marked the beginning of a new era of sustainability, modernity and innovation for the estate.
The wines have been elevated to an impressive quality and offer incredible bang for your buck. Located in Haro, the heart of Rioja Alta, they grow Temparanillo, Garnacha, Graciano and Mazuelo at around 400-500m altitude. Most vines are still hand harvested into small boxes and picked only when they reach optimum ripeness. The winery is an impressive combination of tradition and technology; they use a mixture of french and american oak, before longer than average bottle ageing to release the wines when they’re à point. Their style leans towards the more contemporary, but be in no doubt - these are great crowd-pleasing wines. Once tried they are not forgotten.
