($60, Maisons, Marques and Domaines): Marqués de Murrieta retains a small portion of their Castillo Ygay Grand Reserva for extended barrel aging.  Bottled in 1998, this wine spent roughly 18 years–give or take a few months–in barrel.  But since the interior of the barrel develops a thick layer of rock hard tartrate crystals over the years, it’s more like aging in a giant bottle.  Still, there’s no question this is a mature wine with lively balsamic notes intermingled with hints of leather, coffee, tobacco and dried fruit flavors.  It’s a great opportunity for consumers to taste for themselves the almost magical transformation of fresh fruit flavors of grapes into the nuances of lovely leafy aged wine. 91 Michael Apstein Jul 15, 2008