Castillo de Ygay 2007

One of the wine companies that automatically springs to mind whenever Rioja is mentioned, is Marqués de Murrieta and, as usually happens with wines of this designation of origin, it has now become part of our public imagination and we have adopted it as our own.  This is particularly the case when we come across a bottle of Castillo de Ygay in, say, a boutique in New York or on a restaurant wine list in Hong Kong.  This international presence is no coincidence or taste for exotic export, it has, in fact, been a tradition. Marqués de Murrieta has long been one of the most appreciated "classic" Rioja companies by wine connoisseurs around the world. This is not least due to the fact that, over the last 20 years, they have been skillfully combining tradition and modernity, in a very elegant fashion and without fanfare, never breaking with the past and never attracting undue attention to themselves through the price of their wines.  Ultimately, this is how you build and perpetuate your brand, the drinking public knows this and each new generation of drinkers respects this.

Having been on the market for decades, Castillo de Ygay is among the most aristocratic and iconic wines of Spain and sports one of the most distinctive labels in history.  Since the Ygay brand was launched and joined by its long awaited white version, wine drinkers have pretty much decreed it to be one of the top grandes reservas.  It is interesting to revisit its older vintages to appreciate the complexity that it develops over times.  Coming after a terrific 2005 vintage, this 2007 will be in the same vein, although it is still somewhat young. It hails from the Ygay estate’s La Plana vineyard, where the Tempranillo grows at nearly 500 metres altitude. It spent 28 months in oak, as did the small proportion of Graciano that completes the assemblage. The two are blended together for the final stage, undergoing 6 months in concrete tanks, followed by at least 3 years’ bottle ageing, before seeing the light of day.

Appearance

Very bright, dark Bordeaux red hue.

Nose

Fragrant and sweet, with a very attractive bouquet. Its permeating aroma of oak quickly gives way to black fruit along with hints of liquorice and coconut.

Palate

This wine still shows vigour and can be enjoyed now but could still do with a few more years in bottle to finish rounding out.  It is very fresh and well balanced with good length. A classic wine brought successfully into the 21st century, and currently the most “hipster” of the grandes reservas!

Braised tuna Parpatana.