It has now been several years since I have visited one of the finest houses in Rioja, Bodegas Muga. A family business founded by Isaac Muga and Aurora Caño in 1932, the winery is located in the historic Barrio de La Estación (Station Quarter) of Haro. With their properties spanning 25,000 square metres, Muga utilizes both very traditional and modern winemaking techniques. Muga is also the only cellar in Spain with a master cooper and three in-house barrel-makers. Hospitality at Muga is also world-class.
For years I have enjoyed these wines, particularly their value driven bottlings. I recently had the chance to visit one of their top wines, their ‘Torre Muga’ bottling which is a heady, more modern style of Rioja that is sourced from vineyards that are slightly lower elevation. Both the new release 2016 and the older 2015 ‘Torre Muga’ wines showed brilliantly. The 2016 might be a touch more age worthy and is less approachable right now but will surely survive 20 years or more. Learn more about this famed winery at https://www.bodegasmuga.com and here are my reviews of the last two releases of Bodegas Muga ‘Torre Muga.’
2016 Bodegas Muga ‘Torre Muga’ Rioja- Every bit decadent, the brilliant 2016 Bodega Muga ‘Torre Muga’ Rioja is one of the great wines of its kind that I have tasted this year. Sourced from vineyards set at roughly 500 meters, this spent 18 months in French oak prior to bottling. A bit more tannic and brooding than the 2015 bottling, this unveils shades of tar alongside rich dark fruit flavors with dark chocolate dusted espresso bean tones on the palate. Simply magical to consume right now, do your best to give this another two years for things to fully come together. Drink 2023-2044- 96
2015 Bodegas Muga ‘Torre Muga’ Rioja- This densa and very modern style of Rioja is nothing short of a sensational bottling by Bodega Muga that beautifully showcases the warmth of the vintage. The 2015 ‘Torre Muga’ Rioja blends 75% Tempranillo, 15% Mazuelo, and 10% Graciano, as the wine reveals heady roasted fig, black currant and orange peel tones alongside highly refined tannins. The weight and the length of the wine add to the enjoyment, as this will easily be a 20 year Rioja. If enjoying now, be sure to give this beauty a two hour decant. Drink 2022-2040- 95
