2016 Bodegas Muga "Prado Enea" Gran Reserva Rioja

Complex aromas of dark fruit with violets, walnuts and chocolate. Classy. It's full-bodied with plush yet fine velvety tannins, and a precise and pointed finish. Juicy and savory. Tight finish. It's very long.

Only made in exceptional vintages, Prado Enea is the flagship wine of iconic winery Muga, and more importantly, one of the great wines of Rioja. The 2016 vintage was slightly cooler than average, though not dramatically so, and the result is an exceptionally elegant Prado Enea that deftly balances typical Muga power and intensity with an incredible amount of finesse on the palate. Aged in both American and French oak barrels, the wine is framed by toasty hazelnut and saddle leather notes, as well as well-integrated tannins. This is a style of Gran Reserva Rioja that just seems to get more complex with every swirl in the glass. Dried thyme and oregano are followed by tea leaves and portobello mushroom, which are followed by graphite and dried red plum. It’s hard to put the glass down! Slowly savor this Rioja along with a great meal and conversation. Personally, I’d suggest picking up a few bottles – one to enjoy now and the others to open down the road, because it will be fascinating to see how this develops and gains even more complexity as the years pass.