This traditionally run Bodegas estate bottles all of its wines. The 1991 Reserva Especial is an austere, more evolved wine with a medium ruby/garnet color, and earthy, tobacco, berry, and cherry aromas. In the mouth, there is good ripeness on the attack and medium body, as well as dry tannin and austerity in the finish. This good to very good effort is overwhelmed by the 1994 Reserva, and the 1989 Castillo y Gay Grand Reserva Especial. Murrieta's Reservas and Reserva Specials are essentially all the same blends that spend differing amounts of time in wood. The Reservas tend to spend 2 1/2 years in 15-year old American oak barrels, and the Reserva Speciales 3 1/2 years in old American wood, followed by an additional 3 years of bottle age.
Importer: William Grant & Sons, Edison, NJ; tel. (908) 225-9000