2017 Casa Castillo Pie Franco
| Type of Wine | Red |
|---|---|
| Country | France |
| Region | |
| Winery | |
| Vintage | 2017 |
| Grape | , |
| Content (Alc) | 0.75 ltr (14.5%) |
| Drink window | 2021 - 2035 |
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Description
The 2017 Casa Castillo Pie Franco is a striking wine from Jumilla, a wine region in the southeast of Spain, known for its powerful and expressive red wines. Casa Castillo is a renowned winery in this region, and the Pie Franco is one of their most prestigious wines. This wine is made from 100% Monastrell (also known as Mourvèdre), a grape variety that thrives in the hot, dry climate of Jumilla.
Vineyard and Terroir: The grapes for Pie Franco come from old vines growing on their own roots (pie franco), which is rare today due to the global phylloxera outbreak in the 19th century. These vines are more than 70 years old and are planted in poor, sandy soils with a limestone subsoil, which contributes to the complexity and depth of the wine.
Vinification: The grapes are harvested by hand and carefully selected. Fermentation takes place in concrete tanks with native yeasts, which gives the wine its authentic character. After fermentation, the wine is aged for 18 months in French oak barrels, which ensures a subtle integration of wood notes without overpowering the expression of the fruit.
Tasting notes: The 2017 Casa Castillo Pie Franco has a deep, dark color with a complex nose of ripe black fruits, such as black cherries and blackberries, complemented by spicy notes of licorice, tobacco and a touch of mineral earth. In the mouth the wine is full and powerful, with firm but refined tannins and a lively acidity that provides balance and freshness. The finish is long and layered, with persistent fruit and spice notes.
Storage potential: This wine has excellent storage potential and will only become more complex and interesting with age. Although enjoyable now, it will benefit from several years of bottle aging, which will further soften the tannins and integrate the flavors even more. The recommended drinking period runs until at least 2035
99/100 Parker
Specifications
| Type of Wine | Red |
|---|---|
| Country | France |
| Region | Jumilla |
| Winery | Casa Castillo |
| Grape | Monastrell, Mourvedre |
| Biological certified | No |
| Natural wine | No |
| Vegan | No |
| Vintage | 2017 |
| Drinking as of | 2021 |
| Drinking till | 2035 |
| Alcohol % | 14.5 |
| Alcohol free/low | No |
| Content | 0.75 ltr |
| Oak aging | Yes |
| Sparkling | No |
| Dessert wine | No |
| Closure | Cork |
| Parker rating | 99 |
Professional Reviews
Parker
The Wine Advocate
RP 99
Reviewed by:
Luis Gutiérrez
Release Price:
$110
Drink Date:
2019 - 2035
I often think that the Pie Franco from Casa Castillo cannot improve much more, but the 2017 Pie Franco has done it again, taking this pure Monastrell from ungrafted old vines to a new level, reflecting the sun and limestone of the estate, combining power and elegance. I found all of the 2017s deliciously perfumed and floral, and this is no exception. It’s a wine with lots of inner power, gobsmacking balance and probably the highest aging potential of all the wines they produce. It has a refined, silky and chalky texture, great purity and supple flavors. It’s superbly balanced and harmonious, not reflecting any heat but truly Mediterranean at heart. Vintages like that don’t have to be roasted, unless you have a year like 2003 when the temperature didn’t go down at night, because in the rest of the years, temperatures drop at night. It was bottled in early March 2019 after 16 months in 500-liter oak barrels. 8,200 bottles produced.
Casa Castillo would be one of the single-estate appellations that would make sense in Spain, but the name has been misused so much that they don’t want to hear about it. I visited the north and west limits of the estate, which are going to be developed with mostly Monastrell selected from their old vines and a plot for white grapes that will probably be Garnacha Blanca and Macabeo, in a place that has gypsum. The La Mojonera plot is on very degraded, very white soils (with some green tints) that reflect heat and can provide finesse, and the west orientation and combination of all that should deliver fresher Mediterranean whites.
The base of all their soils is limestone, like the whole of the Mediterranean coast that was under the sea in the tertiary era and is now sedimentary limestone soils; but there are many different levels of decomposition and combinations of the mother rock that result in many different textures of the soil. If you combine that with the other elements, altitudes and orientations, you have a great diversity within the estate. What is amazing is how they have been able to see all of this and make wines that are definitely distinct and talk about their birth place.
I had a very interesting discussion with winemaker and proprietor José MarÃa Vicente about the last few vintages. In general, he's very happy with the last four years—2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018—but what he thinks about 2016 and 2018 cannot be extrapolated to other producers in the Mediterranean, as they were challenging years, especially 2018. For many, 2018 was the worst harvest in recent years, and some lost a huge percentage of the crop to maladies like mildew, oidium and black rot.
2014 was also warm and dry, a minor vintage for Casa Castillo. 2015 was warm and dry, a very Mediterranean vintage that resulted in ripe and powerful wines. 2016 was a more continental year, following the path of 2013, even cooler than 2013. It was not an easy harvest, and they had to work more in the vineyard (it’s not a great year for the region in general). 2018 kind of followed the same path, and they dropped a lot of fruit (20%) to help the rest ripen properly, getting rid of the bunches that were less perfect. It was a late and cool vintage where they had to work in more or less the opposite way than in 2017, a warm and sunny year when they had to protect the grapes from the soil.
The 2017 vintage was more Mediterranean again, but the difference was that in 2017 they had a lot more rain during the winter, and the plants had enough water. It didn’t rain between April and July, and then 70 liters of rain in late August slowed down the harvest that had started very early. The plants got rehydrated and completed the ripening cycle perfectly. For José MarÃa Vicente, the medium- to low-yielding year is the perfect Mediterranean year, with freshness added by those rains, and he considers it the most complete vintage since Casa Castillo started in 1991. 2018 was very challenging and also continental in style, wetter and not as warm, in line with 2013 and 2016, but they worked hard in the vineyards and are a lot happier than the majority of other producers in their region.
They are in great shape, and the conjunction of personal circumstances, the buy-out of the family, the oenological maturity and the perfect circumstances of the 2017 harvest provided the conditions for their best harvest yet. I tasted the wines on a typical Mediterranean morning—cold early on but with sun and light—and the wines showed particularly floral and elegant. The wines are produced with all or part full clusters, normally fermented in underground concrete pools and aged for a long time in large oak barrels, 500 liters and larger, which is nothing other than what was traditionally done in the region. I cannot recommend these wines enough.
Published: Apr 30, 2019
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Wijnhuis
'Propiedad Viticola Casa Castillo' was built in 1870 by French immigrants, winegrowers fleeing the Phylloxera (phylloxera). Both native grape varieties (monastrell in the first place) and more 'international' varieties (syrah, cabernet sauvignon) were planted. In 1941, viticulture was put aside for rosemary.
Later, in the 1980s, the second generation of the Vincente family embarked on a major project to restore viticulture. Grandson José MarÃa is still in charge to this day. In the meantime, Casa Castillo has become a true reference for the monastrell in Jumilla and by extension throughout Spain.
The region is called El Altiplano de Jumilla and enjoys a continental climate that is somewhat mitigated by its proximity to the Mediterranean Sea. The vineyards are mainly located on the steep slopes of La Sierra del Molar. The main grape is, of course, the monastrell. Garnacha and Syrah are also grown on different plots and in the right place.
The 2017 Casa Castillo Pie Franco is a striking wine from Jumilla, a wine region in the southeast of Spain, known for its powerful and expressive red wines. Casa Castillo is a renowned winery in this region, and the Pie Franco is one of their most prestigious wines. This wine is made from 100% Monastrell (also known as Mourvèdre), a grape variety that thrives in the hot, dry climate of Jumilla.
Vineyard and Terroir: The grapes for Pie Franco come from old vines growing on their own roots (pie franco), which is rare today due to the global phylloxera outbreak in the 19th century. These vines are more than 70 years old and are planted in poor, sandy soils with a limestone subsoil, which contributes to the complexity and depth of the wine.
Vinification: The grapes are harvested by hand and carefully selected. Fermentation takes place in concrete tanks with native yeasts, which gives the wine its authentic character. After fermentation, the wine is aged for 18 months in French oak barrels, which ensures a subtle integration of wood notes without overpowering the expression of the fruit.
Tasting notes: The 2017 Casa Castillo Pie Franco has a deep, dark color with a complex nose of ripe black fruits, such as black cherries and blackberries, complemented by spicy notes of licorice, tobacco and a touch of mineral earth. In the mouth the wine is full and powerful, with firm but refined tannins and a lively acidity that provides balance and freshness. The finish is long and layered, with persistent fruit and spice notes.
Storage potential: This wine has excellent storage potential and will only become more complex and interesting with age. Although enjoyable now, it will benefit from several years of bottle aging, which will further soften the tannins and integrate the flavors even more. The recommended drinking period runs until at least 2035
99/100 Parker
| Type of Wine | Red |
|---|---|
| Country | France |
| Region | Jumilla |
| Winery | Casa Castillo |
| Grape | Monastrell, Mourvedre |
| Biological certified | No |
| Natural wine | No |
| Vegan | No |
| Vintage | 2017 |
| Drinking as of | 2021 |
| Drinking till | 2035 |
| Alcohol % | 14.5 |
| Alcohol free/low | No |
| Content | 0.75 ltr |
| Oak aging | Yes |
| Sparkling | No |
| Dessert wine | No |
| Closure | Cork |
| Parker rating | 99 |
Parker
The Wine Advocate
RP 99
Reviewed by:
Luis Gutiérrez
Release Price:
$110
Drink Date:
2019 - 2035
I often think that the Pie Franco from Casa Castillo cannot improve much more, but the 2017 Pie Franco has done it again, taking this pure Monastrell from ungrafted old vines to a new level, reflecting the sun and limestone of the estate, combining power and elegance. I found all of the 2017s deliciously perfumed and floral, and this is no exception. It’s a wine with lots of inner power, gobsmacking balance and probably the highest aging potential of all the wines they produce. It has a refined, silky and chalky texture, great purity and supple flavors. It’s superbly balanced and harmonious, not reflecting any heat but truly Mediterranean at heart. Vintages like that don’t have to be roasted, unless you have a year like 2003 when the temperature didn’t go down at night, because in the rest of the years, temperatures drop at night. It was bottled in early March 2019 after 16 months in 500-liter oak barrels. 8,200 bottles produced.
Casa Castillo would be one of the single-estate appellations that would make sense in Spain, but the name has been misused so much that they don’t want to hear about it. I visited the north and west limits of the estate, which are going to be developed with mostly Monastrell selected from their old vines and a plot for white grapes that will probably be Garnacha Blanca and Macabeo, in a place that has gypsum. The La Mojonera plot is on very degraded, very white soils (with some green tints) that reflect heat and can provide finesse, and the west orientation and combination of all that should deliver fresher Mediterranean whites.
The base of all their soils is limestone, like the whole of the Mediterranean coast that was under the sea in the tertiary era and is now sedimentary limestone soils; but there are many different levels of decomposition and combinations of the mother rock that result in many different textures of the soil. If you combine that with the other elements, altitudes and orientations, you have a great diversity within the estate. What is amazing is how they have been able to see all of this and make wines that are definitely distinct and talk about their birth place.
I had a very interesting discussion with winemaker and proprietor José MarÃa Vicente about the last few vintages. In general, he's very happy with the last four years—2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018—but what he thinks about 2016 and 2018 cannot be extrapolated to other producers in the Mediterranean, as they were challenging years, especially 2018. For many, 2018 was the worst harvest in recent years, and some lost a huge percentage of the crop to maladies like mildew, oidium and black rot.
2014 was also warm and dry, a minor vintage for Casa Castillo. 2015 was warm and dry, a very Mediterranean vintage that resulted in ripe and powerful wines. 2016 was a more continental year, following the path of 2013, even cooler than 2013. It was not an easy harvest, and they had to work more in the vineyard (it’s not a great year for the region in general). 2018 kind of followed the same path, and they dropped a lot of fruit (20%) to help the rest ripen properly, getting rid of the bunches that were less perfect. It was a late and cool vintage where they had to work in more or less the opposite way than in 2017, a warm and sunny year when they had to protect the grapes from the soil.
The 2017 vintage was more Mediterranean again, but the difference was that in 2017 they had a lot more rain during the winter, and the plants had enough water. It didn’t rain between April and July, and then 70 liters of rain in late August slowed down the harvest that had started very early. The plants got rehydrated and completed the ripening cycle perfectly. For José MarÃa Vicente, the medium- to low-yielding year is the perfect Mediterranean year, with freshness added by those rains, and he considers it the most complete vintage since Casa Castillo started in 1991. 2018 was very challenging and also continental in style, wetter and not as warm, in line with 2013 and 2016, but they worked hard in the vineyards and are a lot happier than the majority of other producers in their region.
They are in great shape, and the conjunction of personal circumstances, the buy-out of the family, the oenological maturity and the perfect circumstances of the 2017 harvest provided the conditions for their best harvest yet. I tasted the wines on a typical Mediterranean morning—cold early on but with sun and light—and the wines showed particularly floral and elegant. The wines are produced with all or part full clusters, normally fermented in underground concrete pools and aged for a long time in large oak barrels, 500 liters and larger, which is nothing other than what was traditionally done in the region. I cannot recommend these wines enough.
Published: Apr 30, 2019
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua...
Exclusive Content
Sign in to unlock professional wine reviews from world-renowned critics
'Propiedad Viticola Casa Castillo' was built in 1870 by French immigrants, winegrowers fleeing the Phylloxera (phylloxera). Both native grape varieties (monastrell in the first place) and more 'international' varieties (syrah, cabernet sauvignon) were planted. In 1941, viticulture was put aside for rosemary.
Later, in the 1980s, the second generation of the Vincente family embarked on a major project to restore viticulture. Grandson José MarÃa is still in charge to this day. In the meantime, Casa Castillo has become a true reference for the monastrell in Jumilla and by extension throughout Spain.
The region is called El Altiplano de Jumilla and enjoys a continental climate that is somewhat mitigated by its proximity to the Mediterranean Sea. The vineyards are mainly located on the steep slopes of La Sierra del Molar. The main grape is, of course, the monastrell. Garnacha and Syrah are also grown on different plots and in the right place.