Empire
Marques de Murrieta Rioja Castillo Ygay Gran Reserva Especial 2011/2012 750ml
Marques de Murrieta Rioja Castillo Ygay Gran Reserva Especial 2011/2012 750ml
SPAIN : RIOJA ALTA
SUSTAINABLE : Tempranillo, Mazuelo
FULL-BODIED, BLACK CHERRY, DRIED FLOWERS, CEDAR, MEDITERRANEAN HERBS, AMERICAN OAK
The Castillo Ygay Gran Reserva Especial is Marqués de Murrieta's flagship — produced only in exceptional vintages from La Plana, a single 40-hectare parcel within the estate's 300-hectare Finca Ygay, planted in 1950 at 485 meters. Tempranillo and Mazuelo are harvested by hand, fermented separately in stainless steel, then aged 34 months each in separate oak regimes — American for the Tempranillo, French for the Mazuelo — before blending and 20 months in concrete. Bottled May 2019, the 2012 was held at the winery a further three years before release.
Two 100-point scores — James Suckling and Guía Peñín — plus 97 from Decanter and Robert Parker. Wine Spectator named it the #1 wine in the world for 2020, only the second Spanish wine to claim that position. Production was 30% below the prior vintage; 103,216 bottles of 750ml released globally. Drinking window: 2024–2045.
PAIRINGS :
| Grilled cep mushrooms with truffle and egg yolk | the wine's earth and dried-herb notes mirror the umami; tannins frame the richness cleanly |
| Wagyu sirloin or high-fat beef cuts | full-bodied tannin structure cuts through marbling; cedar and dark fruit frame the char |
| Aged Manchego or Idiazábal cheese | a regional pairing that highlights the wine's savory Old World backbone |
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