Bodegas Casa Castillo Monastrell 2017 (750ML)

92 Points, Luis Gutierrez, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: "The 2017 Monastrell has some 12% Garnacha, and in 2018, it will probably have almost 20% Garnacha; at that point, they will remove the Monastrell name from the label and sell the wine as Casa Castillo, with no varietal mentioned. They have decided that the blend of Monastrell with Garnacha makes sense, so they's been increasing the percentage of Garnacha in their vineyards and reducing the Syrah, a variety they think makes less sense on their property. This has notes of fresh fruit with a spicy touch and is quite pure, not reflecting heat at all. The palate is juicy, vibrant and tasty, with super fine tannins and a spicy finish. A blend of 20-something plots, this wine reflects the general character of the estate. It has 15% alcohol, reflecting the natural conditions, but with an incredible balance that makes the alcohol feel perfectly integrated. A true bargain in its finest vintage to date. They produced around 186,000 bottles of this wine. The same blend is bottled throughout the year. What I tasted was bottled in January 2019." 04/19

91 Points, Jeb Dunnuck, jebdunnuck.com: "Another smoking value brought in by Eric Solomon, the 2017 Monastrell (there's 12% Grenache) is a rich, medium to full-bodied, beautifully textured effort that offers a Bandol-like character in its blue fruits, ground pepper, violets, and chocolate aromas and flavors. Aged 10-12 months all in larger foudre, it a ripe, sexy, balanced effort that knocks it out of the park on the value scale. Drink it over the coming 3-4 years. (Drink between 2019-2021)" 04/19