This charming old winery is located in the small, thriving market town of Corella, specializes in the production of Moscatel, and makes some of the finest examples to be found in Spain, using the delicate fine-grain Moscatel (Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains) grown on its family owned 42 hectares. Founded in 1856 by Don Camilo Castilla y Alzugaray, this is the oldest winery in Navarra and, oddly but most appealingly, was built in a distinctly Andalusian style - in white, hacienda-style, with a myriad of charming sunlit patios; and truly it is an Aladdin's cave of light, sweet wines.
Wine production is the realm of laid-back but perfectionist Ladislao Montiel (Ladis), who is one of Spain's master craftsmen of dessert wines. His most popular style is Goya Moscatel, which - fermented in big oak vats and subsequently matured in old American oak casks - is a delicate, tawny-coloured offering with subtle overtones of caramel, menthol and figs.
Created to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the birth of Goya, top of the tree, however, and first made in 1997, is the delicious Capricho de Goya (Goya's whim), production of which takes more than seven years!
The starting point is juice from late picked centenary vines, some of which goes through wood-ageing in huge, centenary wooden casks and some of which is aged in loosely- stoppered glass demijohns left in all weathers on the winery's roof. These elements are subsequently blended and aged together in small US oak barriques and the result is a fine nectar of impressive finesse and complexity.
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