In 1992 I was able to purchase 6 bottles the 1942 Marques de Murrieta Castillo Ygay Gran Riserva. I served it at very special event and everyone agreed it was a great wine. I should have purchased more of it.
Recently I was invited to a lunch at Bouley at Home in NYC with the wines of Marques de Murrieta. It was a combination I could not pass up.
aka Vincent D.
The speaker was the charming and informative V.Dalmau Cebráin-Sagarrigaa Presidente of Marques de Murrieta Winery and Count of Creixewll.
Marques de Murrieta goes back to 1854 when Luciano Murrieta produced the first Rioja wine and was granted the title of Marquis by King Amando of Savoy for his work in Rioja. Luciano established the concept of “cheateau” in the Ygay Estate where he built the Ygay Castle.
In 1983 Vincent Cebrián, tenth Count of Creixewll, took over the winery. After his death his eldest son Vincent D. Cebrián, current Count of Creixell, with his sister took over the management of the winery. There are 300 hectares of vineyards on the property.
Vincent D explained that they also own the Pazo de Barrantes winery, a property which his been in the family since 1511. Today the winery is designed specially for growing the Albarino grape on a 12 hectare plot. The winery is in the heart of the Saines valley in the province of Galicia.
As we entered the restaurant, we were served the La Comtesse 2015 Pazo Barrantes Rias Baixas D.O. Galicia 100% Albariño from the Cacheiro single vineyard, within the 12 hectare estate 0f Pazo de Barrantes. The old vine grapes grapes are destemmed and gently pressed. Temperature controlled fermentation takes place in a 3,000 liter French Allier oak vat for 60 days. The wine is left on the lees for 6 months. The wine remains in the same wooden vats for 12 more months and then in concrete tanks for another 8 months. Vincent D. said this is a contemporary white wine that shows the versatility of the Albariño grape to reach new heights of freshness, complexity and aromatic richness when treated with the careful use of oak barrels.
Pazo Barrantes Rias Baixas, 2017 D. O. Galicia made from 100% Albarino grapes grown on the Pazo de Barrantes Estate surrounding the winery in the Salnes Valley. The grapes are hand harvested on September 7th to 19th 2017. The bunches are destemmed and gently pressed using a pneumatic press. Juice settling occurs before alcoholic fermentation. The juice is fermented at 10C for 30 days in stainless steel tanks without the grape skins. The wine is then left in contact with the lees for two months. The wine was bottled in March of 218. The wine has an aromatic complexity with intense floral, fruity and balsamic aromas. I was very impressed with this wine.
Green Apple Cloud, Golden Osetra Caviar
Vincent D. said he ages the wines in concrete vats part of the time because it adds elegance and rounds out the tannins.
Capellania Reserva 2014 made from 100% Viura from a single vineyard planted in 1945 at 485 meters, the highest point on the Ygar Estate on their 300 hectare estate in Rioja Alta. Manual harvest takes place from September 30th to October 2nd. The grapes are crushed and after a short skin contact they are gently pressed in a vertical press. Vincent D said this is a slow and gentle process that favors the extraction of all the aromatic potential from our low-yielding Viula grapes. The juice is then settled and fermented in a temperature controlled stainless steel tank for 24 hours. The wine spends 15 months in French barriques for 15 months and one year in concrete tanks. It spends one year in bottle before release in June 2018. This is a well structured and complex wine with hints of white stone fruit and vanilla. This is a white wine that can age. It was even better with the food.
Wellfleet Sea Scallops wit Ocean Herbal Broth
Marqués de Murrieta Riserva 2015 made from 80% Tempranillo, 12% Graciano, 6% Mazuelo and 2% Garnache. Grapes come from the Ygay Estate which is 300 hectares of vineyards surrounding the winery in the south most point of Rioja Alta between 320 and 485 meters. Harvest by hand between September 14 and October 16 2015. Grapes are destemmed and then fermented in stainless steel tanks for 8 days at a controlled temperature with skin contact. Pumping over and punching down takes place. Then the solid parts of the grapes were pressed in vertical presses with double screws.
Aged for two years in new and partly 3 to 5 year old American oak barriques and 7 months in concrete and 6 months in bottle before release. This is a well structured and concentrated wine with hints of blackberry, licorice, and vanilla.
Wild Mushroom Risotto with Japanese Rice.
Castillio Ygay Gran Reserva Especial 2009 made from 81% Tempranillo and 19% Mazuelo. The Tempranillo was harvested on the 30th of September and the Mazuelo on October 7th. The grapes come from La Plana single vineyard planted in 1950 and located on a plateau at 485 meters the highest point of the Finca Ygay. The bunches are destemmed and gently crushed before being racked into stainless steel vats. Fermentation is for about 11 days and pumping over and punching down takes place. The wine is aged for 26 months in French and American barrels, and for one year in concrete tanks. It remains in the bottle for 3 years before release. This is a concentrated wine with hints of blackberries, blueberries and spice with vanilla notes. It is a wine that will age for a long time.
Prime Filet Mignon Glazed Shallots and Organic Spinach
Dalmau Reserva 2014 made from 75% Tempranillo, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Graciano. This wine is a selection of the best grapes available from an old single vineyard called Canajas at 465 meters. The soil is mainly clay chalky with a stony topsoil. Production is limited to 1 kilogram per vine. Manually selected grapes that reach the winery as soon as possible. The Tempranillo was handpicked on October 8th and the Cabernet Sauvignon on October 14. The grapes are destemmed and each variety ferments separately for 11 days. The Tempranillo ferments in stainless steel and the Cabernet Sauvignon in small oak vats. Pumping over and delestage are carried out on a daily basis. The wine in aged for 21 months in French Allier barriques, and for one year in concrete. Vincent said “this is a limited production wine from an old single vineyard where there are very low yields. It reflects the most modern side of our winery.” I agree with him. This is a concentrated wine with hints of dark fruit, dark chocolate, vanilla and mineral notes. Vincent D said it is against the law to use Cabernet Sauvignon in the wine of the region but they make an exception for him with this wine.
Selection of Mature Artisanal French Cheese.
Charles Scicolone on Wine 