The 2018 Bodegas Casa Castillo Las Gravas is a unique proprietary blend hailing from the Jumilla region in Spain. Produced by Casa Castillo, this red wine features a robust 14.5% alcohol content and is sealed with a traditional cork closure.

This vintage is primarily composed of 90% Monastrell grapes from limestone gravel soils, complemented by 10% Garnacha, which is noticeably younger. According to Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, the wine underwent fermentation in underground pools with 25% to 30% full clusters and indigenous yeasts. It matured for 16 months in 5,000-liter oak foudres and 500-liter oak barrels.

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate awarded the 2018 Las Gravas an impressive score of 96, describing it as "incredibly elegant and delicate" with a "discrete profile" that might appear shy initially. The review highlights the wine's balanced and velvety palate, refined tannins, and fine chalky minerality. The vineyard's north-facing orientation and its 40-year-old vines contributed significantly to the wine's balance and vigor, even during a challenging and cooler year.

The review further notes that this vintage marks a significant triumph over the adverse conditions of the year, suggesting it might be the finest vintage to date. The winery consciously used a lower percentage of Garnacha to maintain a more serious tone and avoid excessive florality, resulting in a wine that is "less explosive than the 2017" but "more gravelly."

In conclusion, the 2018 Bodegas Casa Castillo Las Gravas is a testament to meticulous vineyard work and careful blending, earning high praise for its elegance and nuanced character. With 34,500 bottles produced and its bottling completed in July 2020, this vintage stands out as a sophisticated and well-crafted representation of Spanish winemaking.