Marques de Murrieta Castillo Ygay Gran Reserva Especial 2010 -2-750ml

James Suckling 99 Points 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 the bottle. Drink on release and age onwards. 

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate 97 Points I had very high expectations for the 2010 Castillo Ygay Gran Reserva Especial, and the wine was 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 2009 next to this 2010, and I had also had a bottle two nights before. 

Decanter 97 Points Ygay these days is a blend of Tempranillo and Mazuelo, the latter making up 15% in this vintage. 2010 will be remembered in the great vineyards of Europe as a classic year, with elegant restraint and wonderful harmonious balance, even in youth, its key characteristics. The Ygay fits this template perfectly; plums and sloes, hints of blueberry and cassis, then figs, cocoa, and sous Bois, a distinct balsamic note to underline provenance. The Mazuelo etches fresh acidity and a powerful finish, leaving the Tempranillo the opportunity to dance flamboyantly on the mid-palate, the bringer of joy and harmony. 

Wine Spectator 96 Points 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.  #1 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2020

Wine & Spirits 96 Points The city of Logroño is surrounded by several high mesas, pieces of the original plateau that still stand above the cliffs and the Ebro River valley below. The Pago La Plana is one of them, a flat mesa at an elevation of 1,590 feet, with close to 100 acres of vines at the top of Finca Ygay. On the north side of the plateau, the soil is limestone that hits solid rock five feet below, limiting the penetration of water; the soil shifts to round river stones to the southwest, where the tempranillo and mazuelo vines, planted in 1950, have been the exclusive source for Castillo Y gay since 2001 (before that, the wine included other parcels on the 740-acre estate). Great vintages of this wine can thrive for more than 50 years, and this vintage appears to be pretty great. It’s grand and dynamic, a youthful ten-year-old. 

Wine Enthusiast 94 Points 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.

Pickup Only

Wine is available for pickup at our restaurant Pizzaioli located at 3920 Grand Ave., Unit A, Chino, California 91710. Alternatively, enjoy your wine at our restaurant, which pairs nicely with our charcuterie board of fine artisan cheeses and cured meats, or select a wine from our eclectic list. For Menus and Reservations, please visit us at https://www.pizzaioli.com.