2021 Bodegas Muga "Selección Especial" Reserva Rioja

Typically a fall release, the 2021 Muga Seleccion Especial is an exceptional wine from an exceptional vintage, combining 80% Tempranillo with Garnacha, Graciano, and Mazuelo from mostly its own vineyards. Gorgeous red and black berry fruit with citrus undertones carry a plush, generous, and full-bodied palate with an undeniable lightness of being. It spends 26 months in 40% new oak. There’s nuanced baking spice, dried herb, and lavender, supple tannins, and moderate tension, the acidity able to retain freshness throughout. (VB)

I’ve been saying this for a while now, but the 2021 vintage in Rioja is quickly proving to be one of the best in decades. All the wines I’ve tried, though different in style, share a noticeable sense of elegance and restraint, and the 2021 “Selección Especial” Reserva Rioja from Muga is no different. A longtime K&L customer favorite and always a powerhouse of a Rioja, with deep intensity and lush concentration, the 2021 also delivers a gorgeous aromatic profile that is slightly more black-fruited, framed by secondary notes of violet, polished leather and the faintest hint of cedar. Rather than lead with sheer muscle, extra-fine-grained tannins melt into the palate, creating a mouthfeel that is improbably delicate for such a big wine. Twenty-six months in French oak adds notes of vanilla, baking spice and mocha, but the oak is remarkably well integrated with the fruit rather than overwhelming it. This is a classic Muga “Selección Especial” that is somehow both bold and sophisticated at the same time. A classic Rioja with a very modern sense of precision, this wine is rich enough to be appealing now, but structured and complex enough to justify tucking away a few bottles in the cellar. The 2021 vintage is not one to be missed—that much I am certain of.