Bodegas Casa Castillo Casa Castillo Monastrell 2020 750ml

The 2020 Monastrell is pure Monastrell in this exceptional vintage for the grape (in previous years it had up to 20% Garnacha, but there was little Garnacha in 2020). The grapes come from sandy vineyards on the valley floor, and they fermented in stainless steel with indigenous yeasts and a shortish maceration. The wine matured in 500-liter oak barrels and 5,000-liter oak vats for nine months. In 2020, there were more grapes from old vines that were used before for the Vino de Finca, which was discontinued. This wine is very aromatic, elegant, expressive and reaching a level I have not seen before in this wine. It’s refreshing, light, balanced, nuanced, with velvety tannins and very clean, really transcending its price point. Balanced is the word, and it’s also available and affordable and sets the tone for the 2020s. 186,000 bottles produced. There are different lots of this wine from the same master blend. I tasted the first bottling from October 2021.