Muga Prado Enea Rioja Gran Reserva 2009 (1.5L)

97 JS / 96 WA / 95 VM / 95 WE

#6 James Suckling Top 100 Spanish Wines of 2016
#60 James Suckling Top 100 Wines of 2016

Gorgeous aromas of ripe fruit, Spanish cedar and dark chocolate. Full body with beautiful flavors of fresh strawberries and raspberries. Super polished and refined. Lovely tension. Refined and polished. A wine with superb depth. Always a masterpiece. Better in 2018 but a joy to taste now. James Suckling

The most classic cuvée was not produced in 2007 or 2008, so we jumped to the phenomenal 2009 Prado Enea. It was produced with grapes from cooler vineyards that enjoyed 20 extra days of slow ripening compared with warmer zones, which provided them with perfect ripeness and deep flavors. This blend of 70% Tempranillo, 20% Garnacha and the remaining 10% between Mazuelo and Graciano had an extended élevage, in this case no less than three years (alternating newer and older barrels). This is still a baby and I know Winemaker Jorge Muga would like to keep it in bottle for longer before selling it, but the commercial pressure is tremendous, as there has been no wine since 2006. The wine has 14.1% alcohol and a surprising 3.34 pH, especially considering 2009 was generally a warm and ripe year. But somehow this cuvée seems to work very well in ripe vintages. The wine feels even younger on the palate, and it still needs to develop some further complexity and the silky texture for which this wine is famous. There is good balance here and all the elements are in place for a nice development in bottle. In fact, it feels like one of the great recent vintages of Prado Enea. There will be no Prado Enea in 2012 and 2013 either, but it's produced in 2010, 2014 (small quantities) and 2015. At this quality level, the price seems like a real bargain. 90,000 bottles produced in 2009. Luis Gutierrez

(aged for 16 months in large French oak vats, followed by three years in 85 percent French and 15 percent American oak barrels and then held in bottle for three years before release) Brilliant ruby-red. Heady aromas of smoke-accented red berries, potpourri, incense and vanilla show superb clarity and pick up cedar and pipe tobacco nuances in the glass. Sweet, seamless and broad in the mouth, offering concentrated yet vibrant red currant, cherry liqueur and floral pastille flavors that fan out steadily on the back half. A spicecake quality emerges on the impressively persistent, red-fruit- and floral-driven finish, which is given shape by smooth, harmonious tannins. - Josh Raynolds, Vinous Media

Alluring, complex and powerful aromas of grilled meat, berries, tea, smoke, vanilla and spice cover every base. An intense palate is concentrated but still elegant. Blackberry, molasses and mocha flavors finish with chocolaty oak notes, fine tannins and overall cohesion. Drink this special Rioja from 2020 through 2035. – Michael Schachner, Wine Enthusiast