Marqués de Murrieta Castillo Ygay Gran Reserva Especial Rioja Tempranillo Blend 2009

Sipping Fine Wine

Blend of Tempranillo with 19% Mazuelo (Cariñena), unusually high, each aged separately for 26 months (Temp-American / Mazuelo-French), pronounced bouquet of berry fruits with complex spice. On the palate flavors of blackberry, cherry and plum flavors, well balanced, with pepper, cinnamon and slight tobacco. Long finish, tight tannins ending with fruit and an earthy mineral character. Outstanding, will age for years and will improve in the bottle!

Adam Kincaid

Here we find a middleweight champion struggling to cling to its belt amid a sea of upstarts and revitalized contenders. Not certain if the future is bright for the Gran Reserva Especial, as it lacks the punch we’ve come to expect.

Andrew Lohse

Drop dead gorgeous / a balance of dried and juicy red fruit with pronounced dill and blonde tobacco / nicely integrated oak, elegant structure

Gregory Fulchiero

A baby

Andrew Cullimore

Deep ruby center , light medium wide ruby rim. Quite rounded, sweet blackberry , cherry and plum. There is also a steely mineral note. Touch of vanilla. Plum and blackberry notes in the mouth, quite elegant and refined . There is nice ripeness to the fruit and very good balance and length. That mineral touch returns on the finish. Very nice and complete, will surely age very well though it is accessible now. Tannin is present but sweet , refreshing acidity. Coming back to the glass there is a black pepper note that comes through. The acidity and tannin now seem more marked.

Diederick Swagemakers

Magnum

Martijn

Also from magnum. Blackfruit and chocolate and wood. YUMMIE wine. Very young still.

Berry Marinussen

Magnum

Dmitry Teytelman

What a great wine! Beautiful nose, exceptional balance on the palate, good tannins and acidity.