Bodegas Casa Castillo, Las Gravas, 2020
Bodegas Casa Castillo, Las Gravas, 2020
- Red Still
- Organic
- Monastrell, Garnacha
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Casa Castillo has come a long way in the 30 years since José María Vincente and his father took their vineyards back from the tenant farmers. Now they are considered among the best in Spain, credited by Luis Gutiérrez as having: “Changed the perception of both Jumilla and Monastrell”. Casa Castillo have harnessed the essence of the Sierra del Molar at over 700 metre above sea level, with a serious focus on a savoury, mineral energy – vines are ungrafted, everything is completely organic, the last new barrel they bought was in 2008 and a good proportion of the fermentation takes place in 100 year old concrete lagares, with a view to influence the natural expression of the fruit as little as possible.
Las Gravas comes from slightly younger Monastrell vines (30-40 years old) and a small proportion (8%) of Garnacha on particularly stony soils, which also has superb energy and an additional floral lift. Seriously enjoyable with a decant now, though will definitely reward cellaring for at least 15 years.
Gutiérrez describes 2020 as “an exceptional vintage, the finest they have ever produced” for Casa Castillo in his recent Wine Advocate report.
What the critics say:
"The phenomenal 2020 Las Gravas was produced with 92% Monastrell from 30- to 40-year-old vines on north-facing gravel soils (hence its name) complemented with 8% Garnacha. It fermented with 30% full clusters and indigenous yeasts in underground stone lagares and matured in a combination of 500-liter barrel and 5,000-liter foudres for 16 months. It has classical parameters, 14.5% alcohol, a pH of 3.47 and 4.87 grams of acidity per liter. The wine is super perfumed and floral, really showy, elegant, nuanced and refined, with the notes of pine needles and wet soil much subtler than in the 2019. There is an ethereal character to the 2020s that I haven't found in any previous vintage here, but at the same time, the wines are very mineral and have lots of energy and light. There is precision, cleanliness, definition and elegance like I hadn't seen before and refined tannins with a pungent mineral sensation in the textured finish. This is an incredible wine for the price asked. 35,500 bottles produced. There was a single bottling in February 2022."
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Bodegas Casa Castillo
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