The Still & The VineSchool of Wine & Spirits
Bodegas Muga Reserva Rioja 2019
Red WineIssue 17

Bodegas Muga Reserva Rioja 2019

Bodegas Muga S.L. · Bodegas Muga, Haro, Rioja Alta

$2514% ABV proofHaro, Rioja Alta, Spain — the Muga family has made wine in Haro since 1932, but their reinvention came in the 1990s when they doubled down on traditional oak craftsmanship while the rest of Rioja chased modernization.
When the rest of Rioja rushed to modernize in the 1990s — switching to French oak, adopting international varieties, chasing Parker points — Muga went the other way. They built their own cooperage and committed to traditional methods.

Kit Aromas

Tasting Notes

Nose

Ripe cherry, leather, cedar, vanilla, dried herbs

Palate

Dark berry fruit, silky tannins, toasted oak, baking spice, subtle tobacco

Finish

Long and elegant with lingering cedar, cherry, and gentle earthy notes

Specifications
Varietal
Tempranillo (70%), Garnacha (20%), Graciano and Mazuelo (10%)
Blend
Tempranillo (70%), Garnacha (20%), Graciano and Mazuelo (10%)
Vineyards
Estate vineyards in Rioja Alta, clay-limestone soils at 500m elevation
Serve & Pair

Cocktail Suggestion

Cocktail — The Rioja Sangria: 4 oz Bodegas Muga Reserva · 1 oz brandy · 0.5 oz triple sec · 1 oz fresh orange juice · Seasonal fruit · Cinnamon stick.

Food Pairing

Lamb chops with rosemary and roasted garlic — the wine's cedar and berry fruit stand up to the richness of the lamb.

Train These Aromas
Comments

Be the first to comment.

Leave a comment

0 / 4,000

First-time comments are reviewed before appearing. Be kind, be specific, no spam.

More from Bodegas Muga, Haro, Rioja Alta
Ron Zacapa Edición Negra
Rum

Ron Zacapa Edición Negra

Ron Zacapa

Edición Negra takes Zacapa's high-altitude solera system and pushes it toward heavier charred casks, producing a darker, more brooding rum than its siblings. The result is a spirit that trades some of the Centenario 23's honeyed charm for genuine complexity and a savory edge. Whether you sip it neat or pair it with a robust dessert, this is rum built for contemplation.

86 proof
Michter's 10 Year Old Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon
Bourbon

Michter's 10 Year Old Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon

Michter's

Michter's 10 Year exemplifies the discipline of selecting barrels that can handle a full decade without tipping into over-oaked bitterness. This is bourbon that rewards slow sipping — each minute in the glass unlocks new layers. A benchmark for what extended aging should accomplish in Kentucky whiskey.

94.4 proof
Don Pilar Añejo Tequila
Tequila

Don Pilar Añejo Tequila

Don Pilar

Don Pilar's Añejo delivers genuine agave character that has been shaped, not masked, by eighteen months in oak. This is añejo the way it should be done — the wood serves the spirit, not the other way around. At its price point, it competes well above its weight class, offering depth and balance that many pricier añejos struggle to achieve.

80 proof
Jensen's Old Tom London Gin
Gin

Jensen's Old Tom London Gin

Jensen's

Christian Jensen spent years researching nineteenth-century recipes to reconstruct an authentic Old Tom profile. The result is not a novelty — it is a genuine revival, offering a window into what gin tasted like before London Dry became the dominant style. Essential for anyone building a historically informed Martinez or Tom Collins.

86 proof
More Red Wine Reviews
Tenuta delle Terre Nere Etna Rosso San Lorenzo 2021
Red Wine

Tenuta delle Terre Nere Etna Rosso San Lorenzo 2021

Tenuta delle Terre Nere

Marc de Grazia's Terre Nere estate produces some of Etna's most expressive contrada wines, and San Lorenzo is a standout: old Nerello Mascalese vines rooted in ancient lava flows deliver a wine of rare transparency. This is not fruit-driven in the obvious sense — it is terroir speaking through fruit. Think Burgundy by way of a volcano.

Domaine de la Côte Pinot Noir Sola Tierra 2021
Red Wine

Domaine de la Côte Pinot Noir Sola Tierra 2021

Domaine de la Côte

Rajat Parr and Sashi Moorman's Sola Tierra block sits on diatomaceous earth soils that produce some of the most transparent Pinot Noir in California. This is a wine of direction rather than power — it knows exactly where it's going and arrives with grace. If you're still looking for California Pinot that can stand alongside Burgundy Premier Cru, start here.

Château Pibran Pauillac 2019
Red Wine

Château Pibran Pauillac 2019

Château Pibran

Château Pibran punches well above its price in the 2019 vintage. Owned by AXA Millésimes (who also own Pichon Baron), it benefits from the same meticulous attention and top-tier terroir. The tension between ripe fruit generosity and classic Pauillac austerity makes it both immediately enjoyable and cellaring-worthy.

28 proof
Luciano Sandrone Barbera d'Alba 2021
Red Wine

Luciano Sandrone Barbera d'Alba 2021

Luciano Sandrone

Sandrone's Barbera is always a masterclass in restraint and fruit purity. The 2021 vintage delivered ideal conditions in Piedmont, and this wine captures the variety's defining bright acidity alongside ripe, generous fruit. It over-performs for Barbera d'Alba — the kind of bottle that reminds you why this grape deserves a permanent place at the table, not just as Barolo's understudy.