Wine: Castillo Ygay 1968 Gran ReservaWinery: Marqués de Murrieta (Logroño, La Rioja)
Appellation / Zone: D.O.Ca. Rioja
Varietals: 70% Tempranillo, 13% Mazuelo, 12% Garnacha, 5% Graciano.
ABV: 13% vol.
Appellation / Zone: D.O.Ca. Rioja
Varietals: 70% Tempranillo, 13% Mazuelo, 12% Garnacha, 5% Graciano.
ABV: 13% vol.
Winemaking
Grapes sourced from the "Pago la Plana," the highest plot of the Ygay Estate. The wine fermented in American oak vats for 30 days, with manual punching down (bazuqueos) and pump-overs. It spent six months in large wooden vats (6,000–7,000 liters) to complete malolactic fermentation and stabilize before aging. It then matured for four years in semi-new 225-liter American oak barrels. Following this, it was racked into neutral oak vats for an additional nine and a half years of aging. Bottled in January 1983. The wine rested for a minimum of five years in the winery’s underground cellars prior to its commercial release in mid-1988. Corks are replaced every 20 years.
Grapes sourced from the "Pago la Plana," the highest plot of the Ygay Estate. The wine fermented in American oak vats for 30 days, with manual punching down (bazuqueos) and pump-overs. It spent six months in large wooden vats (6,000–7,000 liters) to complete malolactic fermentation and stabilize before aging. It then matured for four years in semi-new 225-liter American oak barrels. Following this, it was racked into neutral oak vats for an additional nine and a half years of aging. Bottled in January 1983. The wine rested for a minimum of five years in the winery’s underground cellars prior to its commercial release in mid-1988. Corks are replaced every 20 years.
Special Notes
Special edition labeled in 1987 with naval motifs to commemorate the training period of Prince Felipe de Borbón aboard the "Juan Sebastián de Elcano" training ship.
Special edition labeled in 1987 with naval motifs to commemorate the training period of Prince Felipe de Borbón aboard the "Juan Sebastián de Elcano" training ship.
Tasting Notes
Appearance:
Excellent cork—expanded, pristine, and slightly moistened at the base;
likely recorked at the winery in recent years. Reddish-ruby color of
medium-high depth, remarkably stable, intense, and dark. It displays
brilliant coppery and garnet reflections with a strong sense of
viscosity. The rim is tawny, almost iodized, wide, and clearly defined
against the meniscus.
Nose:
An emotional red that walks a tightrope—oscillating, daring, and
performing an impossible balancing act. The nose is a compendium of
elegance and subtlety. It hovers over the glass, perfumed and ethereal,
with aromas of withered petals, dried violets, aromatic herbs (lavender,
broom), peppercorns, and roasted coffee beans. Gradually, a profoundly
complex background emerges: earthy notes, walnut bark, fine woods, birch
oil, Matryoshka dolls, and Russian leather... Suggestive,
ever-changing, and of absolute complexity. It ultimately revealed an
unprecedented sweet note reminiscent of dark Cavendish pipe tobacco and
classic Virginia, with a bourbon-like liqueur touch. Lustrous,
stripped-back, and balsamic, showcasing a pure Tempranillo untainted by
oak.
Palate:
A wine to be savored in small sips. It possesses a vivid entry,
stratospheric acidity, and absolute roundness. It wears Chanel but
treads with immense power—a testimony to a superior era of winemaking.
This bottle was touched by a magic wand, embodying all the virtues of
the ancient Château Ygay.
It floats on the wire with total elegance while we, mere mortals, are
overwhelmed with emotion. Superior even to the monumental 1964? Without a
doubt. A wine closer to heaven than to earth.
Commentary
The 1968 vintage is arriving at its peak in spectacular form. This particular bottle represents one of those rare, transcendent moments in a taster's life. It is the pinnacle of the traditional Murrieta style: a perfect marriage of time, wood, and the unique terroir of the Ygay Estate.
The 1968 vintage is arriving at its peak in spectacular form. This particular bottle represents one of those rare, transcendent moments in a taster's life. It is the pinnacle of the traditional Murrieta style: a perfect marriage of time, wood, and the unique terroir of the Ygay Estate.
Personal Score: 100
Tasting Group Average: 100
Tasting Group Average: 100
No comments:
Post a Comment