Muga 1982 Gran Reserva

Wine: Muga 1982 Gran Reserva
Winery: Bodegas Muga (Haro, La Rioja)
Appellation / Zone: D.O.Ca. Rioja
Varietals: 40% Tempranillo, 40% Garnacha, 10% Mazuelo, 10% Viura.
ABV: 12.5% vol.

Winemaking

Grapes sourced from estate vineyards (40%) and small-scale growers in Rioja Alta, including a small proportion of wine from trusted producers. Each variety was vinified separately. Alcoholic fermentation took place in 18,000-liter wooden vats; during racking, a bundle of dried grape stalks (escobajos) was held against the tap to act as a natural filter. The wine remained for 12 months in vats and horizontal tanks to complete malolactic fermentation and settle. It matured for 36 to 48 months in used 225-liter American oak barrels (averaging 12 years of age), many crafted in the winery's own cooperage. Manual rackings were performed every 4 months. Fined with fresh egg whites. It underwent a minimum of 6 years of bottle aging before its commercial release in the early 1990s.

 

Tasting Notes

 

Appearance: Reddish-ruby color with medium depth; clear, with a slight sediment at the base of the bottle. Effulgent and brilliant with pomegranate reflections. The rim is wide and orange.

 

Nose: An excellent bottle. It presents itself with as much power as expressiveness—perfectly outlined and showing no signs of a 30-year-old wine. Clean and unfatigued. It offers notes of very ripe red fruit with a slight hint of sloe liqueur, Mediterranean scrub, rock tea, fenugreek, and samphire. It possesses a southern, spicy, and very attractive character. The oak influence emerges slowly and deliberately: fine, luxury wood integrated into an elegant and subtle profile, accompanied by creamy nuances, sweet spices, nutmeg, leather, and wilted flowers. A great Muga.

 

Palate: Assembled with absolute precision. Everything is in its place: precise, enveloping, and above all, supremely elegant. It shines at a very high level, far surpassing the Prado Muga of the same vintage—a comparison that is becoming predictably one-sided. This Gran Reserva dazzles, offering the very best of the winery. It has developed excellently in the bottle. Ample, vivid, savory, and persistent.

 

Commentary

The 1982 Gran Reserva is a masterpiece of balance that captures the soul of Haro. Tasting this wine alongside lamb chops grilled over vine shoots under the Riojan sky was a celestial experience. It stands as a definitive argument for the aging potential of the house's traditional blend, proving once again that the Gran Reserva remains the true flagship of Muga’s excellence.

 

Personal Score: 94
Tasting Group Average: 94