Castillo Ygay Gran Reserva Especial Rioja Tempranillo Blend

This bottle had been cellared since release and cork was in near pristine condition. At 54 years old, it remains a deep garnet/purple and now with loads of sediment. Classic Rioja character with dried black cherry, toasted coconut, cedar, dried flowers, leather and earth. The structure remains intact and the acid is still pretty fierce. This should continue to age very well if conditions are good.

Vintage 2004 | Icon wine. I love the distinguished smell with fruitiness.

Blend of Tempranillo with 19% Mazuelo (Cariñena), unusually high, each aged separately for 26 months (Temp-American / Mazuelo-French), pronounced bouquet of berry fruits with complex spice. On the palate flavors of blackberry, cherry and plum flavors, well balanced, with pepper, cinnamon and slight tobacco. Long finish, tight tannins ending with fruit and an earthy mineral character. Outstanding, will age for years and will improve in the bottle!

Here we find a middleweight champion struggling to cling to its belt amid a sea of upstarts and revitalized contenders.

Not certain if the future is bright for the Gran Reserva Especial, as it lacks the punch we’ve come to expect.

Brilliant.

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. (Josh Raynolds, Vinous, April 2021)

20 år var ingen ålder för denna. Ruggigt vital med pigg syra, snygg och väl integrerad ek, tanniner som ger struktur utan att vara utanpåliggande samt massor av mogna mörka bär, tobak och örter.

Deep Ruby with an elegant bouquet of sweet berry fruits, subtle spice with earthy tones, a traditional Rioja. On the palate, the wine was silky smooth with layers of flavors, berry/cherry, tobacco, smoky cedar, dark fruit, vanilla spice, very well balanced with fine tannins and a clean structure ending with a nice long finish. Delicious!  Still great with room to run. This wine shows potential aging well beyond next decade!

Very similar to the La Rioja Alta but, more fruit forward.

Excellent follow up to the 04 with our Tri-tip.

Photos of; my visit, their tasting room & lounge, Bodega Marquises, De Murrieta and their view from the Bodega terrace.

Dried red fruit, tobacco, dill/vanilla...coming together nicely...excellent with spanish tapas