Marqués de Cáceres

Marqués de Cáceres was founded in 1970 by Enrique Forner, whose family had been exiled to France during the Spanish Civil War. That French connection proved formative. Forner brought back Bordeaux expertise, including guidance from the legendary oenologist Émile Peynaud, and applied it to Rioja with transformative results. The first wines were released in 1975. The winery takes its name from an investor, Vicente Noguera y Espinosa de los Monteros, the 7th Marquess of Cáceres. Enrique's daughter Cristina Forner joined the business in 1983 and became president in 2007, continuing the family's commitment to quality.

• Founded 1970; first vintage released 1975
• Forner family's French exile shaped the winery's Bordeaux-influenced philosophy
• Advised by Émile Peynaud, one of the 20th century's most influential oenologists
• Cristina Forner became president in 2007, maintaining family ownership

Rather than owning its vineyards outright, Marqués de Cáceres controls approximately 1,200 hectares through long-term contracts with local growers across Rioja Alta and Rioja Alavesa. The soils are calcareous and ferrous clay, with clayey-calcareous compositions well suited to the continental climate of the region, which averages 13°C and receives 460mm of annual rainfall. The mild Atlantic influence brings marked seasonality. Red varieties include Tempranillo, Graciano, Garnacha Tinta, Mazuelo, and Maturana. White varieties include Viura, Verdejo, Malvasia, and Tempranillo Blanco.

• 1,200 hectares managed through grower contracts in Rioja Alta and Rioja Alavesa
• Calcareous and ferrous clay soils with continental climate averaging 13°C
• Red varieties: Tempranillo, Graciano, Garnacha Tinta, Mazuelo, Maturana
• White varieties: Viura, Verdejo, Malvasia, Tempranillo Blanco

Marqués de Cáceres was a pioneer in introducing French oak barrels to Rioja at a time when American oak dominated the region. More significantly, the winery led a shift in style by reducing oak aging time and placing fruit characteristics at the center of its wines. This modern approach, influenced by Bordeaux techniques, distinguishes Marqués de Cáceres from more traditionally structured Rioja producers. The cellar holds between 30,000 and 40,000 oak barrels at any given time, supporting a range of wines from fresh whites and rosés to complex reds.

• Pioneer in using French oak barrels in Rioja DOCa
• Reduced oak aging times to foreground fruit character over wood influence
• Cellar capacity of 30,000 to 40,000 oak barrels
• Produces red, white, rosé, and sweet wines across multiple quality tiers

More than 50% of Marqués de Cáceres production is exported to over 120 countries, making it one of Spain's most globally distributed wine brands. The winery is certified as an organic producer and holds certification as a Sustainable Winery for Climate Protection. Drinks International ranks it among the 50 most admired wine brands in the world. The flagship red Gaudium, released in the late 1990s, represents the top of the winery's quality pyramid.

• Exports to more than 120 countries; over 50% of production sold abroad
• Certified organic producer and Sustainable Winery for Climate Protection
• Ranked among the 50 most admired wine brands globally by Drinks International
• Gaudium is the flagship wine, released in the late 1990s