Provenance

Private Client

Critics Ratings

2006:
‘While the Muga family now produces some ultra-modern styles, this sits perfectly in a classical spot, all woodsmoke and red berries. The 80% Tempranillo matured for three years in cask makes for a finely balanced, typical Rioja.’ – Sarah Jane Evans MW, Decanter.com, 94/100 (Dec 2020)

‘A powerful and layered red with ripe berry, cedar and licorice notes. Roses and sandalwood. Full body, very deep and intense. Changing all the time in the glass. A superb wine.’ – James Suckling, 98/100 (Jul 2017)

‘The dense texture carries harmonious flavors of plum, tobacco, licorice, mineral and smoke in this polished red. Well-integrated tannins and orange peel acidity keep this balanced. The floral, spicy finish brings you back for another sip. Drink now through 2021.’ – Thomas Matthews, Wine Spectator, 92/100 (Feb 2015)

‘Black fruit which is subdued when compared with the 2005. Soft but fibrous tannin.’ – Richard Hemming MW, JancisRobinson.com, 17/20 (Nov 2015)

‘This is a wine that is not automatically produced every year. The wine spends its elevage in oak containers of different size, origin and age for no less than three years. The nose is intoxicating with a superb mixture of tertiary and more primary aromas like old furniture, cloves, cracked pepper, incense and cigar ash plus cherries in liqueur (that Garnacha!). The palate is medium-bodied, with great freshness (Jorge Muga tells me the pH is stabilized with aging in barrel), acidity and balance, with a silky texture, ultra-fine tannins and great persistence and length. This wine feels younger than it is, and seems to be aging at a glacial pace. With the stuffing and balance it has this should make very old bones, and drink greatly throughout its life. Superb! At this quality level the price seems like a bargain.’ - Luis Gutiérrez, Wine Advocate, 96/100 (Apr 2015)

‘Cedar, char and blackberry aromas are full and ripe on the nose. Given the wine's age, its structure and tannic weight are just right. Earthy, lightly roasted flavors of spiced raspberry and plum finish peppery and dry. Drink through 2020.’ – Michael Schachner, Wine Enthusiast, 92/100 (Feb 2015)

‘Dark ruby. Highly fragrant scents of redcurrant, dried cherry, pipe tobacco, leather and rose oil. Lively and precise on the palate, offering deeply pitched red fruit and floral pastille flavors and a hint of black pepper. The youthfully tight finish features excellent clarity and lingering spiciness.’ – Josh Raynolds, Vinous, 92/100 (Sep 2014)

2009:
‘Healthy crimson. Very rich indeed on the nose with a rather dry finish. But lots of integrity.’ – Jancis Robinson MW, JancisRobinson.com, 16.5/20 (Apr 2018)

‘Plump and lively, this red delivers plum, tobacco, licorice and candied orange flavors, with firm tannins and balsamic acidity supplying structure. In the traditional style, showing uncommon richness. Drink now through 2021.’ – Thomas Matthews, Wine Spectator, 93/100 (Mar 2017)

‘Alluring, complex and powerful aromas of grilled meat, berries, tea, smoke, vanilla and spice cover every base. An intense palate is concentrated but still elegant. Blackberry, molasses and mocha flavors finish with chocolaty oak notes, fine tannins and overall cohesion. Drink this special Rioja from 2020 through 2035.’ – Michael Schachner, Wine Enthusiast, 95/100 (Jul 2017)

‘Brilliant ruby-red. Heady aromas of smoke-accented red berries, potpourri, incense and vanilla show superb clarity and pick up cedar and pipe tobacco nuances in the glass. Sweet, seamless and broad in the mouth, offering concentrated yet vibrant red currant, cherry liqueur and floral pastille flavors that fan out steadily on the back half. A spicecake quality emerges on the impressively persistent, red-fruit- and floral-driven finish, which is given shape by smooth, harmonious tannins.’ – Josh Raynolds, Vinous, 95/100 (Oct 2016)

‘The wine feels even younger on the palate, and it still needs to develop some further complexity and the silky texture for which this wine is famous. There is good balance here and all the elements are in place for a nice development in bottle. In fact, it feels like one of the great recent vintages of Prado Enea. There will be no Prado Enea in 2012 and 2013 either, but it's produced in 2010, 2014 (small quantities) and 2015. At this quality level, the price seems like a real bargain.’ - Luis Gutiérrez, Wine Advocate, 96/100 (Aug 2016)