Bodegas Muga Prado Enea Gran Reserva
Rioja Alta
2016

The producer

Although founded only in 1932, Muga is part of the fabric of the fine winemakers of Rioja. In the hands of the third generation of the family, the winery is situated in the historic Barrio de la Estacion, set up not only for winemaking but for hospitality and education. The winery even includes its own cooper to make and maintain the huge number of barrels. From 400ha of vineyards Muga produces a disparate array of wines from Cava, white, rose and red, the last from Crianza to Gran Reserva.

The wine

Muga’s top wine – Prado Enea Gran Reserva – is sourced from some of Rioja’s highest elevation vineyards in the villages of Sajazarra, Cellorigo and Fonzaleche. A blend of Tempranillo, Grenache, Mazuelo and Graciano, the wine ferments in oak vats with 16 days maceration, following which maturation lasts for minimum 36 months in French and American oak casks and another 36 months in bottle. Complex and enticing black fruit density with baking spices, cocoa, and liquorice; the palate is full and silky with firm tannins and juicy acidity.

We choose our wines based on a range of criteria (see how we choose our wines) of which critic scores is just one. Rather than simply highlight the best score to promote a wine, our average critic score is calculated from the scores provided by several respected wine critics, who we follow for specific regions. They do not represent all critic scores and, wherever possible, we try and give more weight to more recent reviews. Where appropriate we consider market-based scores like Global Wine Score or Wine Searcher Average scores.

As a rule, we look to offer wines that achieve a 92/100 average critic score or better and frankly a lot of very good wines simply don’t make the cut. As a high-end provider we want to reflect that positioning in the quality of wines we offer. Such wines are only a tiny fraction of those generally on offer in the market. We believe that an average score is a more conservative and representative approach, but it is still subjective and only offered as a guide to our customers, who will (and should) do their own research. We will add individual critic scores to our website in the future.