The 1970 Prado Enea Gran Reserva, which would have included around 10% Viura, has a superb, vibrant bouquet with scents of lavender, dark chocolate and sage and a curious tincture of fried onions. The palate is amazingly fresh and vital with supple, fine tannins and sorbet-fresh, dark berry fruit mixed with bay leaf and cold black tea. The finish retains fine, robust tannins and the length is mightily impressive. Superb.
Bodegas Muga was a must during my afternoon visiting the triumvirate of classic Rioja producers located within spitting distance from each other in Haro. The name should need no introduction. It was founded by Aurora Cano and her husband Isaac in 1932, although the family were growers and did not commence winemaking themselves until the 1960s, when they relocated to the building in Barrio de la Estacion. Under Aurora’s son, Isaac Jnr, who joined us for the tasting, Muga fostered a reputation for high quality, classic Rioja wine sourced from an almost incalculable number of tiny parcels. During the 1990s they branched out to pursue what you might call “modern” Rioja with the inception of “Torre Muga” in 1991. This move may have piqued those that feared Muga was forsaking their classical roots, though those fears were unfounded and the bodega continues to fashion wines that embrace both styles. However, let us commence with their sparkling contribution to the Rioja landscape.
Importer: Jorge Ordonez, Fine Estates from Spain, Dedham, MA; tel. (781) 461-5767
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