The 1981 Etiqueta Blanca Crianza, a wine that was discontinued in 1983 when it was decided that the Bodega would produce only Reservas and Gran Reservas, spent 49 months in American oak (the current standard for Crianza is 12 months). Medium cherry red with browning at the rim of the glass, on the nose it gives up an expressive perfume of Asian spices, underbrush, brier, cedar, and balsamic. In the mouth it reveals its elegant personality marked by lively acidity, concentrated, spicy fruit, and excellent persistence. It should continue to drink well for another 10-15 years. Marques de Murrieta is a family owned bodega impeccably run by V. Dalmau Cebrian-Sagarriga who took over from his father in 1996. The estate owns 741 acres of vineyard and is in the process of making dramatic improvements to the physical plant. The Bodega manages to straddle the traditional style with the Castillo Ygay Gran Reserva and the modern style with Dalmau. A bit of white wine is also produced but now in a modern style unlike the white wines described below. During my visit to Marques de Murrieta in May 2010, Senor Cebrian-Sagarriga was kind of enough to open a number of venerable bottles to demonstrate the estate’s history. Importer: Maison Marques & Domaines, New York, NY; tel. (212) 759-4700