Marqués de Murrieta Castillo Ygay Gran Reserva Especial 2010 is a true icon of Spanish winemaking, a testament to the legacy of Marqués de Murrieta. Pouring into the glass, it reveals a deep, garnet-red hue, showcasing its maturity and depth.
On the nose, it offers a captivating bouquet of ripe red and dark fruits, including cherries, blackberries, and plums, interwoven with nuances of cedar, tobacco, and a touch of vanilla. These aromas form an intricate tapestry of scents, inviting you into its world.
Upon the palate, this Gran Reserva Especial unfolds a symphony of flavors. The core of fruit is complemented by layers of leather, dried herbs, and a hint of spice, providing a profound and multi-dimensional tasting experience. The tannins are integrated and polished, creating a refined structure that lingers on the palate.
Critic Ratings
James Suckling Review – Rated 99:
Marvelous aromas of crushed berries, tobacco, cedar and mushrooms. Some dried cheese. Then turns to flowers. Very complex. Full and intense with fantastic depth and power. It goes on for minutes. It is a wine that exudes tradition but gives a sense of modernity with precise winemaking. Two years in oak, one in concrete and three or four in bottle. Drink on release and age onwards.
Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate Review – Rated 97:
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.
Wine Spectator Review – Rated 96:
Maturing well, this round red is a lovely example of the traditional style. Orange peel, dried cherry, forest floor, vanilla and black tea flavors mingle harmoniously over round tannins and citrusy acidity. Generous but gentle, lively, balanced and harmonious. Tempranillo and Mazuelo. Drink now through 2030.
Wine Enthusiast – Rated 94:
Dusty cherry, plum and cassis aromas are dry and complex, while this feels integrated and balanced just right. Cherry, red plum and cocoa flavors remain young and vibrant, while this pedigreed gran reserva offers its usual depth and length on the finish. Ten years in and this still has more in waiting. Drink through 2045.
