{"product_id":"martinez-lacuesta-rioja-crianza-2003","title":"Martinez Lacuesta Rioja Crianza 2003","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Land\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBodegas Martínez Lacuesta sits in Haro, the historic wine capital of Rioja Alta, in the cool northwestern corner of the region where the river Ebro bends and the climate turns continental. This is the highest, coolest, most Atlantic-influenced part of Rioja, and it is what gives the wines of Haro their freshness and their ability to age. The house draws Tempranillo and its traditional partners from vineyards on the right bank of the Ebro within about 20 kilometers of town, sitting between roughly 450 and 600 meters of altitude. Limestone and clay soils, high elevation, and wide day-to-night temperature swings keep acidity firm even in warm years.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Wine\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eA traditional Rioja Alta Crianza, Tempranillo-based and aged in American oak in the old Haro style, now released with more than two decades of bottle age. What is striking about the 2003 is how fresh it still tastes. Rather than tiring, it has turned herbal and savory, closer to a bowl of tzatziki than to anything fruit-driven: cool cucumber, fresh dill, and a tangy, yogurt-like lift, over the tobacco, dried red fruit, and sweet baking spice you expect from mature Rioja. 2003 was one of the hottest summers on record in Spain, a vintage that produced ripe, early-drinking wines, which makes this bottle's persistent freshness all the more unusual. The tannins are fully resolved and the finish is long and soft. A mature wine, drinking now.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe People\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBodegas Martínez Lacuesta was founded in 1895 by Félix Martínez Lacuesta, a lawyer from Haro who started with a small operation on Vega Street and was soon joined by his brothers. The house became one of Haro's benchmark producers; Félix served as the first president of the regional winemakers' association, and the bodega counted the Spanish Royal Household among its customers. It remains family-owned today, run across its fourth and fifth generations, and still works in the traditional Rioja mold: predominantly American oak, extended barrel aging, and manual racking. Mature library releases like this one are part of what a house with well over a century of cellar history can offer.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFood Pairing\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eLean into the wine's savory, herbal side. Roast lamb with rosemary and garlic, grilled lamb chops with a cucumber and yogurt sauce, chicken souvlaki with tzatziki, or a plate of jamón and aged Manchego all meet it well. The mature, resolved structure and lingering freshness make it a natural with roasted and grilled meats, and its herbal edge is a straight bridge to Mediterranean and Greek cooking. Decant briefly and serve at cool room temperature.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"VinMarket","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50560484868319,"sku":null,"price":42.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0439\/7436\/1248\/files\/P7140668.jpg?v=1784093305","url":"https:\/\/denverwinemerchant.com\/products\/martinez-lacuesta-rioja-crianza-2003","provider":"Denver Wine Merchant","version":"1.0","type":"link"}