Casa Castillo Monastrell Jumilla 2021

Casa Castillo Monastrell Jumilla displays a bright cherry hue with a purple rim, indicating its youthful vibrancy. Aromas of ripe red berries and sweet spices dominate the bouquet, reflecting the wine's expressive fruit profile. On the palate, black fruit, spice, and earth with good acidity with spicy undertones and fine tannins, delivering a balanced and flavorful experience. The finish is smooth and lingering, with the fruit and spice notes gently fading, leaving a pleasant aftertaste. Overall, a well-crafted wine that balances ripe fruit flavors with structural elegance, making it suitable for both immediate enjoyment and short-term cellaring.

The Monastrell from Casa Castillo is made from younger certified organic vines sourced mainly from La Valle vineyard, where the soils are silty and the grapes have more of a varietal expression than his rockier vineyards. Winemaker José Maria Vicente has been incorporating increasing amounts of Garnacha into this wine so that now it is about 80% Monastrell with 20% Garnacha. After a natural fermentation in tank, the Monastrell is matured in used barrels for eight to nine months, while the Garnacha matured in concrete.

José Maria Vicente is a third-generation owner and operator of Casa Castillo, a farm that began as a rosemary plantation, but under José Maria, has evolved into the preeminent estate in the DO of Jumilla and Mediterranean Spain. While the smell of rosemary still lingers, the pale, rocky soils surrounding his house and cellar are now planted with vines and almond orchards. When José Maria’s grandfather purchased Casa Castillo in 1941, there was already a winery, cellar, and some scattered vineyards on the property dating to the 1870s, established by French refugees fleeing the plight of phylloxera in their native land. In 1985, José Maria and his father began replanting the vineyards and expanding them. In 1991, they released their first commercial vintage.

In selecting the grapes to grow on their land, they chose the indigenous Monastrell as the primary variety. Native to the region, it was perfectly adapted to the hot, dry climate. Everything is harvested by hand and brought promptly to the cellar for sorting and fermentation. Pigeage is done by foot, and whole clusters are increasingly used. Aging follows in concrete, foudre, and 500L French oak demi-muids. Long acknowledged as the finest producer in Jumilla and now recognized as one of Spain’s leading winemakers, José-Maria has inspired a new generation of young winemakers looking to harness in his wines the richness of the Mediterranean climate while retaining a counterpoint of liveliness and layers of complexity.