WTN: 1989 Marqués de Murrieta Ygay Reserva Especial Rioja Spain.

Am I in a time warp here?

We had an amazingly hot day -- 102F according to my little weather bureau located down by the lake. Sure felt like it, but the Feds say it only got to 99F, so I'll have to check the connections in the morning.

But I had this wine nine years ago. Kept another bottle in a cold cellar ever since. I'd probably edit what I wrote nine years ago, but the substance would be exactly the same. Amazing weather. Amazing wine.

Regards, Bob

8/9/97

1989 Marqués de Murrieta Ygay Reserva Especial Rioja Spain. Russo. $15. WS 89: $20. Despite its age, this Spanish red wine is still fresh tasting, and would improve even more with another couple of years of aging. Parker. The Bodegas Marques de Murrieta is considered to be one of the finest producers of Rioja. Some authorities claim their top Reserva wines and special luxury cuvée, the Castillo Ygay (produced in only the finest vintages), are among the greatest expressions of Rioja. According to the renowned Dutch wine writer, Hubrecht Duijker, in his classic book, THE WINES OF RIOJA (Mitchell Beazley, 1985), Murrieta may be the oldest continuously functioning bodega in Rioja, having been founded in approximately 1860. The limited bottling Castillo Ygays can be aged in wood for phenomenally long periods. According to Hubrecht Duijker, the 1934 was released into the market after it had been aged one year in tank, 35 years in wood, and 5 years in bottle! This is obviously not a bodega that believes in rushing its wine to the market!

Ross [1997 and 2006]

Beautiful clear red color; [no bricking, medium hue]; excellent fruit aroma and taste; layers of fruit and spice, with very mild tannins; twenty second finish. 5*. [Amazing wine -- delicious. Why am I trying so hard to find a nice New Jersey wine? 4*.]

Regards, Bob

Thanks Bob. Lovely note! I've only tried a few Murrietas but they have been stunning: the 1959 Ygay GR (lovely, just getting towards the peak) and 1970 Ygay GR (lovely, but young: when served blind I said 1994!!!) are among the best wines I've tasted - and I am by no means a Rioja fan! If only they were cheaper. We have the 1970 available here, but it costs 140€ so I don't taste it frequently enough... well, twice so far, to be precice. Since the Reserva is so much cheaper but still reads like a sublime wine, I hope our monopoly would sell it.

Great note, Bob. It sure sounds refreshing on a hot day.

As usual, I have been digging around in the archives! Just found this Murrieta update,plus TNs, on Chris Kissick`s website.............!!

http://www.thewinedoctor.com/spain/marq ... ieta.shtml

I had some mixed experiences with the '89 Ygay. Which someone (Manuel?) explained as due to two different shipments coming into NYC. My original bottles (probably purchased in 1996-1998 period) were great deals, then a lot showed up in NYC about 2000 that were less thrilling. Variation, storage, who knows. It added a little frisson of excitement when I opened my last bottle at an offline last year- would it be good or so-so? It was one of the good ones.

I had some mixed experiences with the '89 Ygay. Which someone (Manuel?) explained as due to two different shipments coming into NYC. My original bottles (probably purchased in 1996-1998 period) were great deals, then a lot showed up in NYC about 2000 that were less thrilling. Variation, storage, who knows. It added a little frisson of excitement when I opened my last bottle at an offline last year- would it be good or so-so? It was one of the good ones.

Yep.