Wine Advisor
Marques de Murrieta, Castillo Ygay Gran Reserva Especial 2010
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Luis Gutiérrez
I had very high expectations for the 2010 Castillo Ygay Gran Reserva Especial, and the wine delivered as expected. 2010 was one of the finest vintages in Rioja in recent years, and this blend of Tempranillo with 15% Mazuelo (Cariñena) has to be one of the finest modern day Castillo de Ygays. The grapes come from a plot planted in 1966 at 485 meters in altitude, the highest in the estate, and the vines yielded 3,500 kilos per hectare. The two varieties fermented separately in stainless steel for 11 days, and the wine spent 26 months in a mixture of American and French oak barrels. I tasted the 2009 next to this 2010, and I had also had a bottle two nights before. So, I was able to compare this with the 2009, which was a very different year, as 2010 was a cooler year and a priori a more adequate year for long-aging wines like this Gran Reserva. The difference was the vegetative cycle, as the vinification and élevage was the same. This is sleeker and sharper, less developed and livelier than the 2009, which already shows some signs of "old wine" with aromas that remind me of the old classical Rioja reds. It has greatness and finesse and is a very attractive wine with all the stuffing and balance that is needed for a long (and positive) aging in bottle. This is one of the finest modern day vintages of Castillo Ygay. This is going to develop in the direction of the classical bottlings from yesteryear. 130,853 bottles produced. It was bottled in March 2015.
Reviewed by: Josh Raynolds
Brilliant ruby. A hugely perfumed bouquet evokes spice-accented red and dark berry preserves, potpourri, pipe tobacco and vanilla, and violet and mineral accents emerge as the wine stretches out. Palate-staining blackberry, cherry-vanilla, cassis, fruitcake, mocha and candied licorice flavors show superb depth and clarity while hints of floral pastilles and Moroccan spices add complexity. Gains weight with air, with no loss of energy, showing powerful, spicy thrust on a strikingly long, gently tannic and floral-driven finish.
About the Producer
The vineyards of the Marquis de Mleda are located in the Rioja Alta region of Rioja, close to the Sierra de Cantabria in the north, with a total vineyard area of 300 hectares. The vineyard has a temperate continental climate, with hot and humid summers and cold and drier winters, with an even distribution of precipitation throughout the year. The vineyards are mainly planted with red grape varieties such as Tempranillo, Garnacha, Mazuelo, Graciano and Cabernet Sauvignon, as well as Viura. other white grape varieties. The Marquis de Mulleda has always implemented strict management of the vineyards in order to obtain the highest quality grapes and produce wines of excellent quality. The winery now owns wine brands such as Capellania, Castillo Ygay, Dalmau and Marques De Murrieta, among which the Marques de Murrieta series is an international brand. Well-known wine brands, while the Dalma range is a new selection of wine brands. The various series of wines produced by the winery are loved and sought after by consumers all over the world.
