Bodegas Muga Reserva Rioja 2019
Bodegas Muga S.L. · Bodegas Muga, Haro, Rioja Alta
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.
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
- 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
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.
Be the first to comment.
Leave a comment
Bourgogne Rouge, Domaine de Montille
Domaine de Montille
Domaine de Montille's Bourgogne Rouge is a masterclass in what restraint can achieve at the regional level — no excess, no artifice, just transparent Pinot Noir from one of Burgundy's most principled estates. It embodies the theme of clarity through constraint: a wine that finds its beauty in what it withholds rather than what it offers. An essential benchmark for understanding why less, in Burgundy, is always more.
Nerello Mascalese Vigne Vecchie
Calabretta
Calabretta's old-vine Nerello Mascalese is a masterclass in how air and altitude sculpt a wine—vineyards perched high on Etna's slopes channel wind and volcanic breath into the glass. This is traditional Etna winemaking at its most soulful: no shortcuts, no polish, just pure terroir captured by a family that has farmed the same contrada for generations. A hauntingly beautiful wine that rewards patience and contemplation.
Perrin Cotes du Rhone Reserve Rouge 2022
Perrin
The Perrin family's Réserve Rouge remains one of the Rhône's most reliable everyday reds, delivering genuine terroir character at a fraction of the cost of their Châteauneuf-du-Pape holdings. It captures the warmth of a late November harvest—generous, grounding, and quietly soulful. A wine that pairs as well with weeknight suppers as it does with the season's final fireside gatherings.
Domaine Gramenon Côtes du Rhône La Sagesse 2022
Domaine Gramenon
La Sagesse means 'wisdom,' and this bottling from very old Grenache vines is aptly named. Michèle Aubéry-Laurent farms biodynamically and vinifies with minimal intervention — native yeast, no added sulfur, no fining or filtration. This is transparency in a bottle: terroir, vine age, and vintage, nothing hidden.