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Wine Spectator’s No. 1 Wine in the World.
Six Bottles Just Landed.
The Castillo Ygay Gran Reserva Especial 2010, Wine Spectator’s Wine of the Year for 2020, is back in our cellar: 100 points from Falstaff, 99 from James Suckling, six bottles. Below it, every Marqués de Murrieta we have, with every score and every review.
• Only 6 Bottles · First Come, First Served
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A Personal Note
Dear Artisans,
In August we wrote to you about the new Marqués de Murrieta Reserva and called it the finest buy in Rioja. This week the house sent us something else: six bottles of the Castillo Ygay Gran Reserva Especial 2010, the wine Wine Spectator named its No. 1 wine in the world for 2020.
Six bottles is the whole allocation, so this letter goes out to you before it goes anywhere else. First come, first served.
What Number One Means
Every year Wine Spectator ranks the top 100 of the thousands of wines it reviews, weighing score, price, availability and what it calls the X-factor. In 2020 the wine at the top was this one, at 96 points, and the magazine called it “a lovely example of the traditional style” that is “generous but gentle, lively, balanced and harmonious.” Only 680 cases were imported into the United States.
It is not just Wine Spectator. Falstaff gave the 2010 a perfect 100 and ended its note with four words: “Buy it now while you still can.” James Suckling gave it 99 and said it “goes on for minutes.” The Wine Advocate and Vinous both gave it 97. Six critics, six scores between 94 and 100, and every one of them is printed in full below.
The House Behind It
Marqués de Murrieta produced its first wine in Logroño in 1852, having brought Bordeaux’s techniques to Rioja, and moved to the Ygay estate in the 1870s. The Cebrián-Sagarriga family has owned it since 1983, and only the finest vintages of the 741-acre estate become Castillo Ygay.
The 2010 is 85% Tempranillo and 15% Mazuelo from La Plana, the highest plot on the estate at 485 meters. It spent 24 months in American and French oak and three years in bottle before release, and the Wine Advocate’s Luis Gutiérrez calls it one of the finest modern-day Castillo Ygays. Give it twenty minutes in a decanter.
Six Bottles, Then The Rest Of The House
Below the Ygay 2010 you will find every other Murrieta in our cellar, each card expanded to its full set of ratings and reviews: the 100-point Ygay 2012, of which one bottle remains, the Dalmau 2019, the Gran Reserva 2016, the last bottle of the Capellanía white, the Reserva 2022 at $29.99 by the case, and the six-bottle anniversary collection.
The Ygay 2010 comes first because there are six, and because it will not be here long.
James Tran
Artisan Wine & Spirits
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Why This Matters
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Wine Spectator’s No. 1 wine of 2020. The Castillo Ygay Gran Reserva Especial 2010, 96 points, the top of the Top 100. |
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100 points from Falstaff, 99 from James Suckling. The Wine Advocate and Vinous at 97, Wine Enthusiast at 94. Six reviews, all printed below. |
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Six bottles. The whole allocation, first come, first served. Only 680 cases ever came into the country. |
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Every Murrieta we have, every review. Six more wines below, including one bottle of the 100-point Ygay 2012 and the Reserva 2022 at $29.99 by the case. |
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The Wine · Only 6 Bottles
Castillo Ygay Gran Reserva Especial 2010
Wine Spectator’s No. 1 wine of 2020. Six bottles.
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| No. 1 Of The Top 100 Of 2020 |
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Castillo Ygay Gran Reserva Especial 2010
Rioja Alta · La Plana Vineyard · Tempranillo & Mazuelo
The flagship of the house, made only in the finest vintages from the highest plot on the Ygay estate. Two years in oak, three in bottle, then released. Six critics scored it between 94 and 100, and Wine Spectator put it at the top of its Top 100 for 2020.
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100
Falstaff
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99
James Suckling
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97
Wine Advocate
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97
Vinous
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96
Wine Spectator
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94
Wine Enthusiast
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Falstaff · Peter Moser
100 Points
Dark ruby garnet, violet reflections, subtle shine on the edges. Fine mint, black cherries, fine herbs, fresh cherries, minerals and a multifaceted young bouquet. Juicy, complex, elegant texture with sweet extract, fine and well-rounded tannins, ripe cherries, tender nougat, enormous ageing capacity. Buy it now while you still can.
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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… Drink on release and age onwards. — July 2019
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Wine Advocate · Luis Gutiérrez
97 Points
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… This is sleeker and sharper, less developed and livelier than the 2009… It has greatness and finesse and is a very attractive wine with all the stuffing and balance that is needed for a long (and positive) aging in bottle… This is going to develop in the direction of the classical bottlings from yesteryear. — June 2019
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Vinous · Josh Raynolds
97 Points
Brilliant ruby. A hugely perfumed bouquet evokes spice-accented red and dark berry preserves, potpourri, pipe tobacco and vanilla, and violet and mineral accents emerge as the wine stretches out. Palate-staining blackberry, cherry-vanilla, cassis, fruitcake, mocha and candied licorice flavors show superb depth and clarity… Gains weight with air, with no loss of energy, showing powerful, spicy thrust on a strikingly long, gently tannic and floral-driven finish. — April 2021
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Wine Spectator · No. 1 Wine Of 2020
96 Points · No. 1 Of The Top 100
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. 680 cases imported. — September 2020
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Wine Enthusiast · Michael Schachner
94 Points
Earthy cherry, plum and cassis aromas are dry and complex, while this feels integrated and balanced. Cherry, red plum and cocoa flavors remain young and vibrant on the palate, 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. — August 2020
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| Estate |
Marqués de Murrieta, Ygay Estate, Rioja Alta · founded 1852 |
| Vineyard |
La Plana, the highest plot on the estate at 485 meters |
| Blend |
85% Tempranillo, 15% Mazuelo |
| Cellar |
24 months in American and French oak, then three years in bottle before release |
| Alcohol |
14% |
| Imported |
680 cases (Wine Spectator) |
| Drink |
Now through 2030 (Wine Spectator) · through 2045 (Wine Enthusiast) |
| Serve |
Decant 20 minutes |
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$359.99 / bottle
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| • Only 6 Bottles · First Come, First Served |
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The Rest Of The House
Every Other Murrieta In Our Cellar
Six more wines, each with its full set of scores and reviews, from the 100-point Ygay 2012 to the Reserva 2022 at $29.99 by the case.
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100 Points · The Last Bottle
Castillo Ygay Gran Reserva Especial 2012
James Suckling’s perfect score. One bottle left.
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| 100 Points, James Suckling |
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Castillo Ygay Gran Reserva Especial 2012
Rioja Alta · La Plana Vineyard · Tempranillo & Mazuelo
The vintage after the No. 1. From the same La Plana plot, 81% Tempranillo and 19% Mazuelo, 34 months in oak and 20 more in concrete. James Suckling gave it 100 and called it the new 1934 or 1964. We have one bottle.
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100
James Suckling
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98
Decanter
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97
Vinous
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97
Wine Advocate
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95
Wine Spectator
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James Suckling
100 Points
So much dried flower, mushroom, iron, rust, sweet berry, and grilled orange. Full-bodied with very elegant and refined tannins that melt in the mouth and give a real sense of place and integrity. Balanced and harmonious. The finesse and finish is endless. Production was 30% less than in 2011. Already so drinkable. A wonderful future. This is the new 1934 or 1964, two legends. Drink or hold. — August 2023
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Decanter
98 Points
Lovely freshness and purity of fruit, with chiselled plum, cherry and blackberry flavours. The tannins are muscular yet juicy with an elegant spicy lining (white pepper, cardamon, nutmeg). Long velvety finish, with a tail of smoky dark chocolate and fried sage. A vibrant 2012 still with plenty of time ahead in bottle.
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Vinous
97 Points
It reveals a complex aroma of bee wax, dried flowers, cassis, sour cherry, cedar and vanilla, with a candied layer. Dry, silky and fairly juicy, the fine-grained tannins and heightened acidity deliver a cleansing, long-lasting finish. This exceptional wine exudes energy and demonstrates proven aging potential, making it one to savor and age gracefully.
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Wine Advocate · Luis Gutiérrez
97 Points
It’s spicy, with abundant notes of forest floor, truffles and dry leaves, cigar ash and cedarwood, with a very tasty palate, savory, almost salty. It’s evolving at a very slow pace. It should last forever… 2024-2045.
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Wine Spectator
95 Points
This sophisticated red offers rich flavors of plum compote and dried cherry and raspberry fruit, with detailed notes of espresso, anise, mountain herbs and fresh earth. Shows lovely interplay between generosity and a sense of finesse, integrating fine, chalky tannins and orange peel acidity. Long and fragrant on the finish. Tempranillo and Mazuelo. Drink now through 2037. 9,394 cases made, 1,000 cases imported.
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| Regular: $290.00 |
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$269.97 / bottle
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| • The Last Bottle |
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The Modern Flagship · Eight Critics At 93 Or Better
Dalmau Reserva 2019
Single-vineyard Tempranillo with Cabernet and Graciano, and Wine Enthusiast’s 98.
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| 98 Points, Wine Enthusiast |
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Dalmau Reserva 2019
Rioja Alta · Pago Canajas · Tempranillo, Cabernet Sauvignon & Graciano
Dalmau is the house’s modern wine, first made in 1997: 86% Tempranillo with 10% Cabernet Sauvignon and 4% Graciano from the nine-hectare Canajas plot, 20 months in French oak. The Wine Advocate thinks this could very well be the finest Dalmau ever produced. Eight critics scored it, all at 93 or better.
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98
Wine Enthusiast
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97
Tim Atkin
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97
James Suckling
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97
Falstaff
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95
Wine Advocate
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95
Vinous
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95
Decanter
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93
Wine Spectator
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Wine Enthusiast · Mike DeSimone
98 Points · Cellar Selection
This wine has an enticing bouquet of blackberry, black cherry, violet and clove. Dark berry flavors transition to the palate and are joined by notes of dark chocolate, coffee bean, lavender, anisette and a touch of butterscotch. Polished tannins glide into a lengthy spice- and floral-laced finish. — July 2023
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Tim Atkin
97 Points
There was no Dalmau in 2018, so the 2019 will be released a little earlier than usual… this is structured, inky and wonderfully profound, with some leafy top notes, chalky minerality, dark, brooding liquorice, cassis and blackberry fruit, perfumed French oak and the concentration to reward patience. 2027-2040. — October 2022
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James Suckling
97 Points
Deep and intense, yet mineral, with fresh blackberries, blueberries, black olives, pepper and lemon peel. Hints of graphite, cocoa powder, incense and cedar, too. Flavorful and juicy, medium-to full-bodied palate with a zesty quality to the fruit. Very long and eclectic, with a traditional twist to the modern sensibility.… Nothing hefty here. Better after 2025, when extra complexity will have emerged. — June 2022
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Falstaff
97 Points
Deep garnet with purple reflections and a broad ochre rim. Dark wild fruits of the forest fruit underlaid with fine wood savouriness, delicate hints of mint and thyme, some bitter chocolate and pepper: a multi-faceted bouquet. Complex, tightly meshed palate with dark berries and ripe sweet cherry. With powerful, vivid, supporting tannins, it is mineral and long-lasting… A wine from an outstanding year for Rioja, which will continue to grow significantly with a few years of bottle age. — January 2024
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Wine Advocate · Luis Gutiérrez
95 Points
There is a big change in this wine that increases its freshness and elegance… This could very well be the finest Dalmau ever produced, with the style of the new era of Marqués de Murrieta. It’s a wine with a new and stronger personality that goes beyond the varieties used, so that they feel very integrated and complementing each other. Refined, super elegant and fine tannins frame the palate of this exceptional wine.
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Vinous · Joaquín Hidalgo
95 Points
This purple-hued wine unfolds with aromas of bay leaf and herbs, intertwined with subtle chutney-like undertones. Layers of black fruit, cassis and delicate hints of mocha and cacao contribute to its complexity. Dry, rich and tightly structured, the wine’s reactive tannins and well-balanced palate leave a lasting impression with a substantial mouthfeel. The 2019 Dalmau is a Rioja that elegantly embraces a calibrated nod to the New World style. — April 2024
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Decanter · Clive Pursehouse
95 Points
The 2019 is richly aromatic, with red and blue fruits coming to the fore, followed by fresh spearmint, eucalyptus and a streak of pencil lead… The palate balances such depth of fruit with an uncanny freshness. Peppery elements mingle with mint and wild thyme; ripe blue fruits are balanced with a brilliant minerality that flashes across the silky tannin, delivering a great freshness with each sip. — June 2024
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Wine Spectator · Alison Napjus
93 Points
This sleek racehorse of a wine is tightly meshed today but opens nicely in the glass, layering a fragrant overtone of spice box, incense, cured tobacco and tar notes with pureed mulberry, orange peel, red licorice and vanilla flavors. Shows good length and focus, structured by dense, fine-grained tannins that are deftly knit to the aromatic profile… Best from 2027 through 2035. 150 cases imported. — July 2024
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| Regular: $350.00 |
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$249.97 / bottle
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The Classic Gran Reserva
Gran Reserva Limited Edition 2016
A barrel selection of the most age-worthy wines of the vintage. Double 96s.
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| 96 Points, James Suckling |
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| 26 Months In American Oak |
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Gran Reserva Limited Edition 2016
Rioja Alta · Ygay Estate · Tempranillo, Graciano & Mazuelo
A decade from harvest and just entering its stride: 82% Tempranillo with Graciano and Mazuelo, 26 months in American oak. Vinous says it epitomizes the essence of Rioja reds and gives it until 2035.
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96
Vinous
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96
James Suckling
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94+
Wine Advocate
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92
Wine Spectator
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Vinous · Joaquín Hidalgo
96 Points
This wine epitomizes the essence of Rioja reds when vineyard management and winemaking precision align with a distinct stylistic vision. Presenting an opaque garnet hue, it entices with a bouquet of complex aromas: plum marmalade, herbal undertones, maraschino cherry, dried fruits, licorice and subtle hints of balsamic and menthol. On the palate, it offers a dry and robust profile with a velvety, juicy texture. The finish is long, balanced and harmonious. — December 2023
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James Suckling
96 Points
Aromas of black berries, black olives, black truffles, autumn leaves and earth. Grilled orange peel. Very complex. Medium-bodied with very fine tannins and a complex and complete finish. Nicely persistent and focused. 26 months in American oak. Drink or hold. — October 2023
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Wine Advocate · Luis Gutiérrez
94+ Points
A barrel selection of the most age-worthy wines from the vintage make the 2016 Gran Reserva Limited Edition, this year a blend of 82% Tempranillo, 10% Graciano and 8% Mazuelo… quite balsamic but with a solid palate, texture and balance, halfway between tradition and modernity. 67,045 bottles produced. — February 2024
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Wine Spectator · Alison Napjus
92 Points
A sleek, medium-bodied red, with a subtle sanguine thread winding through flavors of crushed mulberry, plum skin, cured tobacco and hints of dried thyme, lavender and red licorice. Fresh and focused, this is firmed by fine-grained, integrated tannins. Long, creamy finish. Tempranillo, Graciano, Mazuelo and Garnacha Tinta. Drink now through 2034. 5,000 cases made, 300 cases imported. — July 2024
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| Regular: $85.00 |
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$74.97 / bottle
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The White Of The House · The Last Bottle
“Capellanía” Reserva Blanco 2018
Single-vineyard Viura from vines planted in 1945. Double 96s, one bottle.
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| 96 Points, James Suckling |
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Capellanía Reserva Blanco 2018
Rioja Alta · Capellanía Vineyard · 100% Viura
100% Viura from the six-hectare Capellanía plot, the highest on the estate, fermented in concrete and raised 22 months in French oak. Decanter calls it a gorgeous Viura from old vines planted in 1945. We are down to one bottle.
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96
James Suckling
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96
Decanter
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94
Wine Advocate
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93
Wine Spectator
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James Suckling
96 Points
Mineral, macadamia, pine nuts, white sesame and white fruit with a touch of spice. A bright and linear Capellania that shows excellent tension, freshness and complexity. Long and appetizing finish. More taut and gastronomic now. 100% viura. Drink now or hold. — November 2023
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Decanter
96 Points
Named for the single vineyard from which it is sourced, the Capellanía is a gorgeous Viura from old vines planted in 1945… the wine, though, is impeccable in its fresh and saline spirit… This wine is marked with a filagreed minerality; salty sea air aromas lead the way, followed by dried white flowers, a note of grilled lemon peel and a surprising peek of sweet lemon curd. The palate offers tart mandarin pulp, smoky flint, grilled citrus and a salty hint of sea air. It’s a gorgeous wine at six years old and will only evolve further. — June 2024
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Wine Advocate · Luis Gutiérrez
94 Points
The 2018 Capellanía is 100% Viura from the plot that names the wine. The vineyard is six hectares planted in 1945 at 485 meters altitude, the highest in the estate… The wine is subtle and elegant, following the path of all the wines in the portfolio here, still marked by the élevage in oak, spicy and smoky. The palate is balanced, with a nice combination of fruit and oak, with a soft texture, clean, focused and tasty. — February 2024
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Wine Spectator · Alison Napjus
93 Points
There’s a broad, expansive feel to the palate, where layered flavors of patisserie apple, pear, tangerine peel and almond biscotti join dried mint, chamomile, beeswax and graphite accents. That focus and expression is buoyed by well-honed acidity and an underpinning of minerally salt and petrol notes, resulting in a lovely gauzy weight and harmony overall. Drink now through 2033. 1,819 cases made, 300 cases imported. — February 2024
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| Regular: $125.00 |
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$119.97 / bottle
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| • The Last Bottle |
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The Finest Buy In Rioja
Rioja Reserva 2022
Five critics between 94 and 95. As low as $29.99 a bottle by the case.
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Marqués de Murrieta Reserva 2022
Rioja Alta · Ygay Estate · Tempranillo, Mazuelo, Graciano & Garnacha
The wine we wrote to you about in August, and still the one we would put in every cellar: 85% Tempranillo from the estate, 25 months in American oak, and five scores between 94 and 95. Suckling calls its balance impeccable; Vinous drinks it out to 2050.
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95
Decanter
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95
Tim Atkin
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94+
Wine Advocate
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94
James Suckling
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94
Vinous
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92
Wine Spectator
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Decanter · Beth Willard
95 Points
The 2022 vintage of Murrieta’s Reserva continues on its path to elegance… American oak adds polish, effortlessly enveloping rose petal, damson and red cherries, and lending just the faintest hint of chocolate. It’s fine, precise and, despite many years of development to come, it’s immediately approachable. A wine evolving with the times and, quite rightly, one of the flagships of the region. Drinking Window: 2026-2042. — June 2026
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Wine Advocate
94+ Points
The flagship white-label Reserva-style red 2022 Marqués de Murrieta wants to showcase the personality of the estate through blending places and grapes… the grapes were hand-harvested between the 7th and 23rd of September, quite early, and they fermented separately in stainless steel. The wine matured in 225-liter American oak barrels for 25 months.
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James Suckling
94 Points
Aromas of plums, cherries and touches of cedar and dried flowers. Medium- to full-bodied with polished tannins that are well integrated, supporting red and dark fruit flavors and subtle cedar notes. A well-crafted red. Precise, with impeccable balance and a savory touch.… Drink now or hold.
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Vinous · Joaquín Hidalgo
94 Points
On the nose, intense fruit leads the way, with blackberry, plum and a hint of cassis framed by delicate oak tones of cedar and sandalwood. On the palate, it is dry and marked by lightly gripping tannins, pivoting between juiciness and freshness for the year. Relative to the excellent 2021, it feels more built, with greater aromatic intensity and a slightly firmer structure. Drinking Window: 2026-2050. — April 2026
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Wine Spectator
92 Points
A finely balanced red, refreshing and focused. Sculpted, chalky-edged tannins provide a firm structure that’s nicely meshed with flavors of pureed mulberry, macerated black cherry, minerally iron and graphite. A savory push of herbed olive shows on the finish. Tempranillo, Graciano, Mazuelo and Garnacha. Drink now through 2037.
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Tim Atkin’s 95 is a score without a published note.
| Regular: $45.00 |
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$33.99 / bottle
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$31.99 / btl at 6+ save $12.00
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$29.99 / btl at 12+ save $48.00
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| Six-bottle and case pricing applies automatically at checkout. No code needed. |
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170th Anniversary · Six Sets
Historical Collection, Six-Bottle Collector’s Set
Six consecutive vintages of the Reserva, 2012 through 2017, in the original wooden case.
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| Six Vintages, 2012 To 2017 |
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170th Anniversary Historical Collection
Rioja Alta · Reserva 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 & 2017
A vertical of the Reserva across six consecutive vintages, released for the house’s 170th anniversary in its own etched wooden box. Every vintage in the box scored 90 or better, and the 2012 and 2017 each reached 95 with James Suckling. Taste the run from 2012 to 2017 side by side, or give it to someone who will. Six sets in stock.
| Regular: $450.00 |
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$389.99 / set of six
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| • Only 6 Sets |
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The Bottom Line
The No. 1 wine in the world, six bottles, first come, first served.
Wine Spectator put the Castillo Ygay 2010 at the top of its Top 100 for 2020. Falstaff gave it 100 and told its readers to buy it while they still can. We have six.
Behind it stands the whole house: one bottle of the 100-point Ygay 2012, the Dalmau, the Gran Reserva, the last Capellanía, the Reserva at $29.99 by the case, and six anniversary sets. Every score and every review is above. Take your pick.
Salud,
— James Tran
Artisan Wine & Spirits
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Take Your Pick
Only 6 Bottles Of The Ygay 2010 · First Come, First Served
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