{"product_id":"bodegas-muga-torre-muga-rioja-spain-2019","title":"Bodegas Muga, Torre Muga, Rioja, Spain, 2019","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eClick \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/learnaboutwine.com\/blogs\/news\/rules-of-rioja\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eHere\u003c\/a\u003e to Read Our \"Rules of Rioja\" Blog\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eOverview of the Wine\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003eBodegas Muga is a family firm founded in 1932 by Isaac Muga and Aurora Caño. The first wines were made in an underground cellar, until in 1968 they decided to set up their own winery in a beautiful old 19th-century town-house situated in the city of Haro. The Bodegas Muga outstanding feature is that it always uses the finest materials, combining tradition with the latest advances in winemaking so as always to give its wines the very best quality without losing authenticity. Indeed, it is the only wine cellar in Spain which employs its own master cooper and coopers, who make all the vats for the cellar as well as the oak casks. The winery remains true to traditional winemaking methods such as racking the casks by gravity and fining the wine with fresh egg whites. Bodegas Muga has succeeded in combining the purest family tradition with an updated vision of the future which has allowed them to preserve their own personality and character.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eGrape \/ Blend\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eTempranillo, Mazuelo and Graciano\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eOrigin\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003eRioja, Spain\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eWinemaker's Tasting Notes\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003eWith this 2019 vintage we are presented with an elegant-looking wine, with good depth of colour, a rich red with purplish hues which denote its youthfulness and potential for evolution.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe nose reveals a deeply intense aroma of blackberries and strawberries. The smoked nuances from its ageing in finest quality French oak come through, creating an unmatchable harmony.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA powerful palate, with the same predominant aromas as on the nose, and a good balance between the alcohol and the acidity as well as smooth, elegant tannins. The finish is very long in the mouth leaving a sensation of fullness.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e98 Points - Jeb Dunnuck\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"UTF-8\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe 2019 Torre Muga is always a more powerful, ripe expression of Rioja that never loses its sense of place. Deep ruby\/purple, with a glorious bouquet of cassis, graphite, tobacco leaf, chocolate, and crushed stone, it hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, a deep, pure, multi-dimensional texture, building tannins, and good acidity. It's young, unevolved, yet oh, so promising. Hide bottles for 7-8 years if you can, and it will cruise for 20-30 years. The blend is 80% Tempranillo and the balance Mazuelo and Graciano, aged 18 months in French oak. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e97 Points - James Suckling\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"UTF-8\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIntense nose of black fruit, ink, roasted espresso, black truffle and dried rosemary. It’s full-bodied with so much power and concentration. Firm but very velvety and integrated tannins. Deep core of black fruit. Yet, it’s not heavy. Long. One for the cellar. Try this from 2027.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e95 Points - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"UTF-8\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe 2019 Torre Muga showcases the classical blend of Tempranillo, Mazuelo (Cariñena) and Graciano, all from old and some ancient vines. The grapes are harvested into 200-kilogram boxes, the bunches destemmed and the grapes put through optical sorting to ferment in small oak vats with indigenous yeasts. Malolactic was in new French oak barrels, where the wine aged after racking for some 18 months, during which time it was racked every eight to nine months. It was fined with egg whites. 2019 is a great vintage for Muga, and they produced quality and quantity, which is remarkable. This has a slightly more modern profile and some French oak undertones, more noticeable in a wide glass and subtler in a narrower one. But it has stuffing, freshness and balance to absorb it in the short to medium term. And it's a year of power and finesse, one of the best in recent years. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e93 Points - Wine Spectator\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis harmonious, medium- to full-bodied version is lively and expressive, with good tension from the creamy tannins, creating a frame for flavors of fig cake, crushed boysenberry, espresso, sweet tobacco, minerally iron and stone. Long and focused on the fresh finish. Tempranillo, Mazuelo and Graciano. Drink now.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eProduct size: 750ml\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Chambers","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44441506054449,"sku":"","price":136.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0275\/0441\/0666\/products\/Bodegas-Muga-Torre-Muga-Rioja-Spain-2019.jpg?v=1762530365","url":"https:\/\/marchantofwine.com\/products\/bodegas-muga-torre-muga-rioja-spain-2019","provider":"Merchant of Wine","version":"1.0","type":"link"}