Casa Castillo Jumilla Monastrell 2024

Casa Castillo Jumilla Monastrell

Region: Jumilla, Murcia, Spain

Vintage: 2024

Bottle size: 75cl

Grape: Monastrell

ABV: 14%

An elegant, fresh, and youthful wine, and a great introduction to the wines of Casa Castillo. On the nose, there are aromas of cherry and raspberry, and the palate offers flavours of black pepper, cloves and Mediterranean herbs. This wine is concentrated, with a fresh, lingering finish.

When José Maria's grandfather bought the estate in 1941, there were already some vines planted, but for many years the land was used for other crops. In 1985, José Maria and his father began replanting and expanding the vineyards and now, the estate boasts 170 hectares under vine, all of which are certified organic. The soils are primarily calcareous and sandy, and certain plots have a high proportion of gravel. The vines used to produce this wine are planted at the foothills of the `El Molar` mountain, at around 500 metres above sea level. Here, the soils are sandy, with some clay deposists, and the vines are aged between 6 and 36 years old.

The grapes were hand harvested, 100% destemmed and then fermented in stainless steel using indigenous yeasts. Gentle maceration took place at temperatures between 30 - 32°C, for between 12-14 days. Malolactic fermentation took place in small foudres, before the wine was aged for between 8-10 months in neutral 500L French oak barrels and foudres.

Casa Castillo, in the words of Luis Gutiérrez, “is not only the leading producer in Jumilla but also among the very best in Spain.” Owner José Maria Vicente, a shining light in a region known for bulk production, has put Jumilla on the fine wine map. He has earned a global reputation for producing elegant and complex expressions of Monastrell, demonstrating the variety’s potential in the right hands and place.