Muga Selection Especial Rioja DOCa

The Muga Selección Especial shows why Rioja classics don't have to be boring: intense fruit, fine wood, and a structure that demands a cellar.

Bodegas Muga is one of the few family wineries in Rioja that controls its entire wood aging process in its own cooperage – from barrel making to bottling. The winery in Haro, in the heart of the Rioja Alta, has been working with traditional methods since 1932: fermentation in oak barrels, clarification with egg white and bentonite without filtration.

In the glass, the Selección Especial – a cuvée of 70% Tempranillo, 20% Garnacha, and 10% Mazuelo and Graciano – shows deep ruby red. On the nose, blackberry, black cherry, and a hint of vanilla and tobacco from the oak barrel. On the palate, dense fruit pulp, velvety tannins, and a well-integrated acidity that gives the wine length. The finish remains spicy-fruity, with notes of cedar wood and dark chocolate. James Suckling rated the 2019 vintage with 94 points.

Drinking temperature: 16–18 °C. Pairs well with lamb shank with rosemary jus, Ibérico pork fillet, or mature Manchego.