Wine of the Month May 2006

                                           Bodegas Muga
                     Prado Enea Rioja Gran Reserva 1996


   O.K..  A few apologies are in order.  I have been so busy with work and familily that I have neglected the site for the last month or two, and have not posted enough wines of the month.   Secondly, I apologize to those who got offended that I made a beer the "beverage of the month" for April (but it was good beer!).  Now we are back to doing what we do best; talk about good wines.

First a few orders of business for those unacustomed to Spanish wine labels.  "Bodega" just means winery, so Bodegas Muga means Muga Winery.  Rioja is a region in Spain a couple hours north of Madrid, in the northern part of the country.  It sits on the Ebro River.  It is Spain's oldest wine making region, having been making wine for over 2 centuries.  The primary red grape grown in Rioja is Tempranillo.  Many red Rioja's also contain modest amounts of Garnacha (Grenache), Mazuelo (Carinena), and Graciano grapes in the blended final product.  Rioja is actually a region with three distinct areas.  Rioja Alta and Rioja Alavesa are the high altitude regions that have the most highly respected vineyards.  Rioja Baja is lower altitude, with hotter climates, and more difficult soils to work with.  Most traditional Rioja wines consist of a blend of grapes from more than one of the subregions.  If you see "Rioja Crianza" on the label, it means that it has been aged for at least two years, with at least 12 months in an oak barrel, and the rest in the bottle.  "Rioja Reservas" require at least three years of aging.  "Rioja Gran Reservas" require at least 5 years of aging, with a minimum of two years in the oak barrel.  Many Gran Reservas are not released for sale until 7-10 years of aging, as it is considered an embarrasment to a traditional Rioja winemaker to release a Gran Reserva unless it was completely ready to drink.  This is in marked contrast to French, Italian, and American wineries where aging is left up to the consumer.

In Rioja, the traditional wine making practices are still utilized today.  Some of the newer wine making regions in other parts of Spain are trying to copy American style wines with ultra-ripe fruity, low acidity wines.  Such wines are now the darlings of the American wine press, and garner huge scores in the media, and command Bordeaux style prices at the cash register.  Personally, I love a nice, traditional Rioja Gran Reserva, and I believe many such wines are under-scored by the American wine media.  These wines represent great values.  Where else can you get a high quality red wine with 10 years of aging under perfect winery conditions for under 40 dollars.  Wine with this much cellar age from Bordeaux would cost 200 dollars!

Bodegas Muga is a very old winery.  It has been owned by the Muga family since 1932.  They make several red wines which span the spectrum of price and quality.  The Prado Enea is their Gran Reserva.  The 1996 vintage was just recently released for sale by the winery, representing 10 years of cellar aging.  The wine is 80% tempranillo, and the remaining 20% Grenache, Mazuelo, and Graciano.  The wine was aged for 12 months in large wooden vats, then 36 months in smaller oak barrels, and then a minimum of 3 years in the bottle under cellar conditions.  This represents Muga's finest traditional Rioja.  They also make a more modern "American-Robert Parker style" wine called Torre Muga, but we will review that one at a later date.  It is very good, but not very Rioja-ish.

The 1996 Muga Prado Enea Gran Reerva has a deceptively light color, just a shade darker than Pinot Noir.  It is best enjoyed in a Pinot glass, not a Bordeaux glass.  The wine has a beautiful bouquet of wild cherries, fresh cut leather, and vanilla.  On the palate, the predominant flavor is raspberry, ever so slightly tart becuase of the acidity, which runs a little higher in traditional Rioja than it does in Napa Valley wines.  The raspberry carries onto the finish, along with a little toasty oak.  The slighlty tart acidity carries onto the finish as well.

This is a beautiful wine, and a fine representation of traditonal Rioja made with the care and concern of a modern winemaker.  There are no green flavors or unripe fruit here.  The wine is clearly targeted at those who cherish a traditonal Rioja, whereas they offer the Torre Muga wine for those seeking a more modernistic "new World" style wine with a Spanish label, and Spanish accent.  Riojas pair nicely with a variety of foods.  The classic pairing is Rioja with lamb.  It also pairs nicely with game and with many moderately robust stews, without overpowering them.  It also stands up nicely to a wine and cheese pairing with a tangy cheese.  For a rich indulgence, try it with some chocolate!

The wine is available at the Wine Sellar and Brasserie in Sorrento Valley for $47.99, and at the Wine Exchange in Orange County for $39.99.  K and L has it for $46.99.  Full retail is about 49 dollars, and the cheapest I have seen it on line is about 35 dollars.  Since the wine was only recently released from the winery, you do not need to worry whether this old wine has been aged properly.

4 stars, con mucho gusto!

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