Marques de Murrieta was founded by Luciano de Murrieta in the mid-19th century. Born in Peru but a citizen of Spain, Murrieta was a commander in the Spanish military whose tastes in wine were influenced by travels to Bordeaux. A few years later he began making Rioja in Spain and by the early 20th century his wines were widely admired. In the 20th century the estate was acquired by Vicente Cebrian Sagarriga, a Spanish aristocrat whose family still owns and operates the estate. The 750-acre estate is in southern La Rioja Alta. The estate grows Tempranillo, Garancha and other red and white grapes. Marques de Murrieta’s flagship wines are its Riojas. Robert M. Parker Jr. has often rated the estate’s Riojas with high scores.