Bodegas Martínez Lacuesta was founded in 1895 by Félix Martínez Lacuesta, a lawyer, journalist, and winemaker in Haro, Spain. His overarching quest was to improve the quality of Rioja wines, and under the tutelage of French winemakers, Bodegas Martínez Lacuesta became a benchmark of Rioja wines.

The Martinez Lacuesta Crianza is 100% Tempranillo from the winery’s estate vineyards in Haro, in the heart of the Rioja Alta region. Ripe fruit predominates: raspberries, cherries, strawberries over balsamic, vanilla, toasted caramel, and sweet mint. Elegance, finesse and subtlety are trademarks of this refined wine. Natural processes have driven the winery since its founding — hand-picking, natural fermentation and manual racking. Aged for two years in American oak and decanted four times using a traditional gravity method, the subsequent ageing in bottles is one of the keys to the production of these classic wines. A fresh and authentic wine is the result.

“Pepe Hildalgo and Álvaro Martínez use grapes from Haro and Villalba, close to the winery, to produce this serious, well-structured all-Tempranillo Crianza. Juicy and concentrated, with liquorice and blueberry flavours and stylishly integrated American oak. 2023-27”
90 points, Tim Atkin, Tim Atkin’s Rioja Report, 2023

“This is a maturing quite traditional style of Rioja with lots of wood in play. It is fairly deeply coloured, garnet shaded. The nose is generous and stuffed with ripe pruny fruit, brown olive, cedar, resin and spice. It is medium-full bodied, quite svelte with good acidity and fairly soft tannin. Love the texture; there is some woody bitterness on the finish. The length is very good to excellent. Very Rioja! Tasted January 2024”
90 points, David Lawrason, Wine Align, January 2024