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Bodegas Muga

The history of Bodegas Muga begins in 1932, when the estate was created by Isaac Muga Martínez and his wife, Auro Caño, both descendants of local winemaking families. The pair established themselves in the centre of Haro, a town at the west end of the Rioja Alta region. Isaac always intended to move nearer the railway station, some considerable distance outside of the town, positioning himself alongside the many venerable bodegas that are located there, such as La Rioja Alta and the Compañía Vinícola del Norte de España (CVNE to you and me), but he never survived to see the move completed. He died in 1969, leaving the estate to his three children who oversaw Isaac's envisaged relocation, which included the construction of a new bodegas topped off with a tower. The cellars include not only the usual fermentation and ageing rooms, but also a coopery, providing the family with a constant supply of oak barrels, which are central to the Muga style.

The Muga vineyards are located in the folds of the Obarenes mountains, on a series of terraced plots. The soils are mainly clay and calcareous, and are obviously predominantly planted with Tempranillo with Garnacha and Mazuelo for the reds, Malvasia and Viura for the white wines. Once harvested, the wines see a very traditional fermentation, with exclusive use of oak vessels, pumping over, and temperatures allowed to rise above 30ºC. The white wines are fermented in new oak barrels, which are then used for ageing the reds in subsequent vintages, before being retired typically at about ten years of age. In order to meet this demand, the in-house coopery must turn out 1500 barrels per annum, using predominantly French and American wood, although there has been some experimentation with other sources over the years. The wines are racked every four months and fined with egg white, until they are cellared for the legally defined period of time according to whether the wine is of reserva or gran reserva status.

The Muga portfolio opens with a white and a rosé, the former is 90% Viura, 10% Malvasia, with rejection usually of 50% of the harvest both on a sorting table and subsequently on tasting in the cellars. It is barrel fermented in French oak as described above, and then rests on its lees for at least three months. The rosé is 60% Garnacha, 30% Viura and 10% Tempranillo, the fermenting juice macerating for twelve hours in small 1000 litre wooden vats where the wine is stored before bottling at two months of age.

It is the red wines which really excite, however, and these start with the Reserva, 70% Tempranillo, 20% Garnacha with 10% Mazuelo and Graciano, which ages for six months in large traditional vats, before 24 months in small oak barrels, and a further year in bottle before release. This meets the release requirements for a reserva (these are released in their fourth year), but far exceeds the minimum period of oak ageing which would be just Muga twelve months. The Reserva Selección Especial has the same (although presumably superior quality) blend, but sees 30 months in barrels after the initial six in cask. The Prado Enea Gran Reserva, 80% Tempranillo and 20% Garnacha, Mazuelo and Graciano sees six months in vat, then 36 months in small barrel, before the same period in bottle prior to release. Although the two reservas can be very good wines, it is the Prado Enea that really shines in my opinion. There is a finesse and balance here that pleases, framed with a structure and sufficient substance to age beautifully. It is a unification of quality and the traditional style that I really enjoy. Nevertheless some may prefer Torre Muga, referencing the tower at the Muga bodega, and introduced in 1991. Although a fairly traditional blend of 75% Tempranillo with 15% Mazuelo and 10% Graciano I have always though the wine to have a more modern, rather international feel; perhaps the 18 months in new French oak after the initial six in vat contributes to this impression. Quality is very good, although quite distinct from the Prado Enea, and from traditional Rioja as a whole.

Finally, the portfolio is capped by the recently introduced Aro Muga. This prestige bottling, 70% Tempranillo and 30% Graciano, is made from sixty year old vines, selected on a plant by plant basis. The wine is fermented in small oak casks, before transfer to new French Tronçais oak for 18 months. This is a statement wine for Muga, retailing at about three times the cost of Torre Muga, or thereabouts. I haven't yet had the chance to taste this wine, although I feel it is likely to be another step further from the old style with which Rioja made its name. (17/8/06)

Contact details:
Address: Barrio de la Estación, 26200 Haro, La Rioja
Telephone: +34 941 311 825
Fax: +34 941 312 867
Internet: www.bodegasmuga.com

Muga - Tasting Notes

Tasted in October 2006. Click to locate stockists:

Muga Rioja Gran Reserva Prado Enea 1996: The first bottle was corked. The next six (I wasn't dining alone), thankfully, were not. Deep colour. Lovely depth of fruit on the nose, swimming with some finely polished oak. Quite a plush texture on the palate, rather primary but very attractive fruit flavour, but with nicely softened tannins and sufficient depth and acidity to carry it forwards. Young but a pleasure to drink; will no doubt be greater in five or even ten years time. Tasted at Sept Portes, Barcelona. 17.5+/20

Muga Rioja Gran Reserva Prado Enea 1998: Having drunk the restaurant dry of the 1996 a final bottle to round off the meal was of the 1998 vintage. Not quite the presence of fruit on the nose, and with a complicating twist of volatile acidity as well. More naked structure quite evident on the palate, the fruit less svelte than the 1996, the tannins a little more present and abrasive. This has good quality, although is not quite of the standard of the first wine, and needs more time to integrate. Very good potential though. Tasted at Sept Portes, Barcelona. 17+/20

Tasted in November 2005:

Muga Rioja Reserva Selección Especial 2000: A good colour. Reassuring typicity on the nose, which shows a melange of sweet berry fruit and baked earth, with a little minty oak. Finely structured palate, ripe, rather svelte tannins, and no shortage of fruit or substance. A lovely presence and a fine finish. Very good indeed. 17/20

Muga Rioja Gran Reserva Prado Enea 1996: Another very attractive colour here, showing some notes of maturity. Perhaps a little closed on the nose, which yields nothing save some little earthy, meaty nuances. A finely composed palate though, beautiful structure beneath a warm texture, and showing a little chewy extract too. This has lovely potential, but is a little dumb at present; not for current drinking. I suspect this requires five years cellaring, if not more. 17+/20

Torre Muga 2001: A deep, glossy hue. Intense, concentrated, meaty nose, rather rich, with chocolate tinged fruit. Big, creamy, very modern style on the palate. To its credit, it seems a little less international in style than previous vintages, and shows a more earthy, meaty character, although there is no shortage of luscious, concentrated, oak-tinged fruit as well. Very good. 17.5+/20

Tasted in June 2005:

Torre Muga 2000: Plenty of intense, smoky, exotic red and black fruits on the nose. Fine, glossy, densely structured palate which cries out for further bottle age. Also in its favour, it has balance and elegance, alongside a fine concentration. This has great potential for improvement in the cellar, although it needs 5-7 years. Very good. 17.5+/20

Tasted in April and July 2002:

Muga Rioja Gran Reserva 1982: This is a paler colour than other wines served here, although the tawny red hue, which fades to a pink rim at the edge, has a vibrant core. An unusual nose though, full of dung and sweat, and short on fruit. Big and tannic on the palate, with sharp acidity and, frankly, no charm. There is a sweet Demerara sugar note on the finish. This big wine is not faulty, just very much closed down, and needs years more in bottle yet. From a 1982 vintage tasting. 16+?/20

Muga Rioja Reserva Selección Especial 1996: A dense ruby-red colour. The nose has aromas of dense, leathery fruit, with a hint of cigar smoke. There's plenty of spicy, vanillin American oak as well. The palate seems thin on entry, and is medium-bodied at best through the midpalate. Good flavour, with strawberry fruit, but seems a touch dilute, and there's a significant presence of oak. A shame, as the tannic structure is good, and there is plenty of acidity, as well as a pleasing, rounded texture just on the finish. I suspect this needs more time to flesh out in the bottle. From a Rioja tasting. 16+/20

Muga Rioja Gran Reserva Prado Enea 1991: I've been looking forward to trying this wine for a long time, as I've had a few bottles making a nuisance of themselves in the cellar for a number of years, and I've heard a few negative comments about it during that time. It has a lovely colour, a dark, maturing red, fading to a pink rim. Blackberry and raspberry fruit on the nose, with faded notes of oak, animalistic aromas, grilled meat, leather and spice, and some volatile acidity. Medium bodied, with tannins in the background giving some good structure. Good savoury edge to the restrained, peppery fruit. Drinking well, although there's plenty of acidity which should help this wine keep for a few years yet. 18.5/20

Tasted in June 2001:

Torre Muga 1994: Aromas of blueberries and blackberries, liquorice and spice, and bags of spicy, vanillin oak fill the nose on opening this wine. It has richness and power on the palate, whilst achieving a good balance of black summer fruits, firm, dry tannins and correct acidity. There is also a sense of elegance about the mouthfeel that is surprising, but very welcome. Strong finish. 17.5/20

Bodegas Muga

Muga - Tasting Notes

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