A ‘mere’ crianza wine from both innovative
and traditional bodega Muga.
A mature cherry bouquet, with a touch of
sandalwood and spice, and dusty oak; although oak does eventually eat itself up
with age, and crianzas may spend considerably less time in oak than reservas
and gran reservas, I was nevertheless surprised to see how solidly oaky this
remains (though not in the coconut – vanilla style of younger, American-oaked
Rioja). It is perhaps less surprising considering that Muga reds are both (oak)
vat fermented and then barrel aged. The second surprise this wine brought me
was how different the palate is, much more vivid than the gentle, mature, woody
bouquet; fresh acid brings a mouth-riot of mature mandarin or almost rotting
orange, a note more squeamish palates would find bretty (I say characterful).
There are a few still live tannins and the oak spice does come back through on
the finish.
93/100
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