The third vintage has arrived. Since the beginning of its journey in 2012, it seeks to break new ground.

A new style of Rioja; more modern, yes, but without losing that true essence and reflecting the character of the land. It is “a combination of power and elegance” according to Robert Parker, who has awarded it 94+ points in its best rating to date.

Available in Spain and the rest of the world as of today!

We leave you with a video-tasting of Guillermo de Aranzabal, president of La Rioja Alta, S.A. and the winemaker Julio Sáenz.

Finca Martelo represents a new style of Rioja. And the 2015 vintage has just been released with an excellent cover letter: 94+ Parker Points. Finca Martelo is the result of a great harvest after a year of perfect weather conditions for the Torre de Oña vineyard.

After the vineyard´s magnificent vintages of 2012 and 2014, a new Finca Martelo vintage is now available. “2015 was excellent, one of the best aspects of it was the climate: it was what I call a very Atlantic year. Very cool, very long, very well balanced, perfect for Tempranillo. Our vineyards ripened very well, and the wines display a delightful freshness and elegance.” – Julio Sáenz, Technical Director of La Rioja Alta S.A.

Finca Martelo is only made during vintages deemed to be exceptional, with silky tannins and long, slow and balanced ripeness. If the harvest does not meet these requirements, the wine is not made. This is also the first harvest in which the optical selection of each individual grape was made, one by one.

The result is Finca Martelo 2015, a deliciously fresh and elegant wine which never ceases to evolve. The experts have already tried it and confirm our impressions: #Martelosophy gets better and better with time, also known as #Martelismo. 

Robert Parker has awarded it 94+ points, which is the best score in all three vintages so far. As he puts it in his own words, it is “a combination of power and elegance”. And the rest of the scores have not been any less assertive:

• 97 points in the Proensa Guide.
• 94 points from Tim Atkin.
• 94 points in the Peñín Guide.
• 94 points in the ABC Wine Guide.
• And James Suckling’s 92 points.

Finca Martelo 2015 is now available in the UK. Coming soon to Spain and the rest of the world.

A case of Martelo is much more than a case of wine. With its iconic design, a good idea and a little skill with your hands, you can transform it into your home’s most chic accessory. From a shelf for your kitchen to a storage chest for your shoes.

We’ve had to wait for it, but the new Martelo 2014 has arrived. And it’s unanimous: #martelism is here to stay.

The experts agree, Martelo 2014 is excellent. That’s the only way to explain their ratings: 94 Parker Points, 94 points from Tim Atkin (“A very impressive Rioja. Bravo!”), 97 points from the Proensa Guide (wow!) and 93 points from the Peñín Guide. 

More than enough of an endorsement to be sure that we’ll carry on enjoying #martelism for a long time to come.

The second “Martelo harvest” in history

A Martelo harvest is one that meets the requirements that Torre de Oña’s oenologist considers essential to make a great wine. And that was what happened in 2014. Thanks to the climate and our winegrowers’ nurturing touch, this harvest fulfilled all the expectations of a great vintage. Green pruning, cluster thinning, a lot of care and the second “Martelo harvest” in history became a reality. 

Since then, oenologist Julio Sáenz has put all his efforts into producing the best possible wine. The process starts with incubation and maceration, before the 96 days of fermentation (with weekly bâtonnage) and a 24-month ageing period, in which the Martelo rests in barrels made of American and French oak.

The result is a wine characterized by its intense ruby-red colour; its nose has red-berry hints of raspberry, cherry and redcurrant, which envelop the balsamic and spicy notes that come from the ageing process. But the best comes when the wine enters the mouth, where its freshness, balance, and gentle acidity with unctuous, silky tannins spread over the taste buds, leaving a long and balanced aftertaste.

As well as the iconic six-bottle case (6 x 75 cl) which we gave a makeover in the last Inspiring Day, Martelo 2014 is available in a new wooden case with two bottles (each 75 cl), a single carry box and a new 150 cl magnum format.

Martelo gets a summery look. Inspired by the arrival of the good weather, Martelo has launched new wooden cases, but this time in summery shades: grey, blue, green and white.

Martelo’s six-bottle case has caused a real sensation this year. Thanks to its design, its fine wooden construction, its versatility and originality. And it’s already on its way to becoming a collector’s item.

The cases are perfect as gifts, for storing Martelo and also for decorating your home. Take a look at Martelo’s Instagram feed for some ideas about how to use the cases when you’ve finished the wine: to decorate walls, store shoes or dolls, as a miniature vegetable garden or plant pot… Martelo is an inspirational wine, so it’s no surprise that its case serves to inspire unique ideas.

You can get one of the cases by purchasing six bottles of Martelo via this link. When you’ve placed your order, we’ll call to ask what colour case you would like.

Which is your favourite?

The prestigious Parker Guide has given a warm welcome to Martelo. The guide has given it 92 Parker points, for what it classed “an extraordinary debut”.

Robert Parker is the world’s most distinguished wine critic and author of “The Wine Advocate”, the world-renowned Parker Guide. So, as you can imagine, Martelo is more than happy with the news.

To rate the wines, Parker established a scale from 50 to 100 points and gives a score for various characteristics: colour and appearance; aroma and bouquet; flavour and finish, and a final parameter which measures the overall quality level or potential.

We love that Parker loves Martelo.

Martelo is in a celebratory mood. It has been chosen as the best newcomer wine of 2018. Perhaps thanks to its unique personality, its inspiring character, its flavour and aroma, the careful process with which it is crafted or the original design of its case…

Whatever the reason, this is what the jury of the 11 Magnificent Wines Prizes from the Vivir el Vino [Living Wine] Guide have decided. The other 10 winners are truly great wines of all vintages and colours, from a range of wineries and winemaking regions.

It was September when we tried the first bottle of Martelo.

Within just a few months it has delighted countless palates and won over restaurants, wine merchants and, of course, homes. There, it has taken its place at many dinner tables, surprising your guests and helping inspire special moments.

If the ‘Repeat Performer Prize’ existed, be sure that Martelo would be going for it in 2019. Cheers!

Take a look at all the winners here.