Wine of the Week!

Bodegas Muga 2002 Reserva Rioja   $22               

There’s no corner of the globe we won’t scout to bring you our Wine of the Week pick!  And our choice this week is from Spain:  Bodegas Muga 2002 Reserva Rioja. 

This is a full flavored wine that’s mostly Tempranillo and Garnacha.  The Tempranillo gives it a black cherry like fruitiness along with a deeper, richer flavor that’s sort of like tobacco.  Garnacha, which you may know as Grenache, adds depth and punch to this wine.  It gives it more texture and a fuller body than Tempranillo would alone.  

Since Muga oak ages the wine, there’s a telltale hint of vanilla and spice too on the long finish after you take a sip.

Like many Rioja wines this will pair up nicely with roasted meats… and especially some thick and juicy grilled lamb chops. 

The Muga 2002 Reserva Rioja runs about twenty dollars a bottle and is a full and rich red that can fit into a lot of different dining occasions.  That’s why it’s our Wine of the Week! 

Pop the Cork™.

Wine on the Radio – 12-15-06

Winemaker's Notes:

70% Tempranillo, 20% Garnacha, 10% Mazuelo, and Graciano.  Estate bottled. Unfiltered. The vineyards are planted on a mix of calcareous clay, and clay with iron soils. This is the only winery left in Spain that uses only oak throughout the entire vinification process, which is very traditional and artisan. They have their own cooperage and import the oak directly from the United States and France.

Issac Muga and his wife, Aurora Cano, brought together two families of traditional wine makers in 1932, and created personalized internationally renowned wines, growing just as rapidly as the demand. The vineyard is still family own and operated. Located on the slopes of the Obarenes Mountains, terraces form small series of vine plots. The soil is clay, but each plot retains significant differences causing great varieties in wine styles. Muga is known to be very traditional in their winemaking practices.

Notes on our Wines of the Week, Recommendations, and Picks:

When you read our thoughts, please remember that you may think differently.  A particular wine may be your favorite and not on our list.  Well, don't stop buying it because of that.  In fact, you may want to email us and let us know about it. These are our opinions but our FIRST recommendation is to go by your own palate.

A couple of other thoughts . . . first, prices are approximate.  They'll vary.  Second, different vintages mean different grapes and different tastes so our recommendation for a 2000 Merlot may not hold for 2001.

And lastly, we remind you to drink responsibly!  Now, all that said, here is a summary of  links to our suggestions.  Find one (or more) and pop the cork!

Read the fine print . . .

Wine consumption can have positive physical benefits or cause possible physical harm . . . the medical community is divided in some areas.  If you have any doubt, check with your doctor before consuming wine or any other alcoholic drink. 

Our information is well researched.  Recommendations are based on our opinions at the time of publication.  At the same time, recommendations change.  Also, there may be significant variance in taste depending on storage, shipping, and other factors.

The Wine Experience is not liable or responsible for any consequences arising from the use of the information obtained from winexperience.com, wineexp.com or The Wine Experience radio show.

The Wine Experience is intended for adults (over 21 years old).  Drink responsibly and don't drink and drive!