2021 Muga - Rioja Reserva (750ml)

Bodegas Muga was founded in 1932 by Isaac Muga and Aurora Caño in the Barrio de la Estación, the historic train-station quarter of Haro in Rioja Alta. Now run by the third generation of the family, the winery remains famed for its uncompromising devotion to oak, employing its own master cooper to build every barrel and vat used on site. Traditional touches, such as fining with egg whites and gravity racking, still define the house style today.

This Reserva leans heavily on Tempranillo, rounded out with Garnacha, Mazuelo, and Graciano sourced from vineyards separated by soil type and village of origin. The grapes are destemmed, lightly crushed, and fermented in oak vats with native yeasts before the wine is aged for twenty-four months in barrels crafted in-house from French and American oak. A further year of bottle aging follows before release.

The wine offers a fresh, mineral-edged nose of cherry and plum skin, with hints of ground coffee, smoked paprika, and dried herbs. On the palate, fine, sculpted tannins carry through to a long, savory finish. It suits roast duck, grilled sausages, or aged Manchego cheese.