Bodegas Muga Rioja Rosado 2014
Lovely, lively and oh so drinkable, Muga’s Rioja Rosado was a must-buy after tasting their budget-friendly reds. Salmon-hued with notes of watermelon and cherry blossom and interestingly—dried coconut flake and dried pineapple. The 2014 is a blend of 60% Garnacha, 30% Viura, and 10% Tempranillo grown in alluvial and calcareous soils. It’s medium-bodied and softly […]
Muga Reserva Rioja Muga 2009
Bodegas Muga Reserva Rioja 2009 is a praise-worthy blend of traditional grape varieties: 70% Tempranillo, 20% Garnacha, 7% Mazuelo, and 3% Graciano. Like an old and beautiful tapestry, there is a lovely interplay of dried roses and violets, brambly fruit and ripe Italian plums, saddled horses and red clay soil. This lovely pastoral scene, and […]
Bodegas Ostatu Rioja Alavesa Blanco 2012
The Ostatu Rioja Alavesa Blanco 2012 is a blend of 85% Viura and 15% Malvasía and is slightly more mineral-driven than the previous vintage, and smells of warm rain on wet cement, lime zest, and buttercups. I love how dry and lean the palate is, all acidic verve, with a lovely textural component. Wet shell, […]
LAN Rioja Reserva 2005
Bodegas LAN Rioja Reserva 2005 is one of my favorite value wines from the region. Notes of plump, juicy black cherries, baking spices, saddle leather and dried herbs permeate the glass. In the mouth it’s silky, yet slightly rustic with nicely integrated, mouth-coating tannins. If you haven’t had LAN, buy it, put it in the […]