Castillo Ygay 2001 Gran Reserva Especial

Wine: Castillo Ygay 2001 Gran Reserva Especial
Winery: Marqués de Murrieta (Logroño, La Rioja)
Appellation / Zone: D.O.Ca. Rioja
Varietals: 93% Tempranillo, 7% Mazuelo
ABV: 13% vol.

Winemaking:
Grapes sourced exclusively from the "La Plana" plot at the highest point of the Ygay Estate (485m). Manual harvest conducted between October 6th and 10th. Selection in the vineyard and transport in small crates. Clusters are destemmed and gently crushed. Separate fermentation in stainless steel tanks at controlled temperatures. Maceration lasted 12 days with daily pump-overs and punch-downs to facilitate a slow, natural extraction of aromas and polyphenols. The wine matured for 31 months in 225-liter American oak barrels, with several annual rackings. Minimum of 36 months of bottle aging before commercial release.

 

Tasting Notes

 

Appearance: Garnet-ruby color with medium-high depth; extracted, dark, and opaque. Brilliant and remarkably clean with orange and reddish reflections. Medium coppery rim; viscous with abundant, persistent tears.

 

Nose: High intensity with a pronounced varietal character. The Tempranillo shines with floral aromas and violet candy, alongside ripe fruit (plum compote, cherries) nuanced by soft vanilla and English tobacco. A subtle vegetal hint of grape stalks indicates the wine's relative youth. It evolves significantly with aeration, demanding patience as it expands. Increasingly structured, it reveals its oak aging through notes of toffee, dulce de leche, fine dairy, and cocoa butter, followed by deep spices and animalistic nuances of old leather and stable.

 

Palate: Voluminous yet silky to the touch; broad and heavily marked by a wood integration that is not yet fully complete—it still requires several years to achieve total harmony. There is a surprising abundance of ripe fruit, barely reduced by time, offering a high-quality sweet edge. Savory, full, and concentrated, it possesses the structure of a "modern" wine while maintaining the signature Murrieta acidity. Although some edges remain to be polished, the ensemble is highly accomplished.

 

Commentary:
A joyous Castillo Ygay that reclaims the prestige of this legendary brand, representing a clear qualitative leap from the 1990s vintages. It possesses more substance and poise than recent editions while remaining faithful to its roots. While it may struggle to reach the transcendent heights of the historical Ygay masterpieces, it is undeniably a wine of great stature, crafted with precision. The exceptional 2001 vintage plays a key role here. It remains an enigma whether it will age as gracefully as the classics, but the raw material is undeniably superior.

 

Personal Score: 92
Tasting Group Average: 93