Bodegas Muga Aro 2015

Professional Ratings

• 99 James Suckling
  A more sophisticated, savory and minerally attitude on the nose with dark chocolate, plum liqueur and dark cherry that's still very primary. Violets, too. This has sexy, seductive dark plums and berries on the palate with an immaculate tannin texture and freshness. Profound, unending depth. Wow! Try this from 2023.
• 96 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
  I was gladly surprised to find that Muga had produced and just bottled a 2015 Aro, which will not be released until the end of 2018. This is always powerful and concentrated, a selection and blending exercise of individual plants from select vineyards, healthier vines, those that produced smaller bunches, and so on. Since the first harvest of Aro in the year 2000, they have bought more old vineyards, so they applied the same exercise to these new vineyards, which are planted with massal selections. They focus on Graciano and Tempranillo, and they ferment and age these grapes separately. Only in exceptional vintages do they decide to bottle this Aro. It's produced in a similar way as Torre Muga, fermentation by plot in small oak vats (some as small as 1,000 kilograms!), the difference is the grape selection. It aged in brand new French oak barriques selected by the grain of the wood. They look for very small grain (which means slow growing of the oak trees). It started off quite closed, but the first impression was of a very good wine, still very young and still a little marked by the élevage, with some oak notes emerging after the wine had been in the glass for a while. There is almost 30% Graciano in this blend, with the rest Tempranillo. This is full-bodied with abundant, fine-grained tannins and very good balance. This will require some more time in bottle and should have a long life ahead. They filled some 5,600 bottles in September 2017.
• 94 Wine Enthusiast

  An oak-dominated nose features aromas of wood grain and vanilla, with a deep well of black plum and blackberry. Concentration and structure are hallmarks of the palate, while this warm-year Rioja tastes of black cherry, spiced black plum, blackberry and chocolate. Baking spice flavors take over on the finish. Best from 2024–2040. Cellar Selection.

• 92 Wine Spectator
  This generous red has a rich texture, with firm tannins supporting the blackberry and currant flavors, laced with smoke, cocoa and licorice notes. Ripe and bold, but focused.