Spainish Treasures #3 over Lunch at Mugaritz

After a great lunch at Arzak the day before, we were all looking forward to an even better lunch at Mugaritz, #4 on the San Pelligrino top restaurants in the world. The rest of the group had been there last year and everyone confirmed it was great. The restaurant is set in a beautiful modern building in the hills of San Sebastian, surrounded by farms and gardens. We all got a tour of the kitchen before service where the Chef greeted us and explained the workings of his kitchen and the 25 international chefs working for him. We were off to a good start.

Amuse bouche #1, the "Rock", ash covered potato


Amuse bouche #2, Popcorn Shrimp, eat em whole, tasty. Better than the ones at Shoney's


Amuse bouche #3 Smokey eggplant with some kind of heavy sauce


This was the only meal where we started with cava as opposed to Champagne - Vintage 2008.

• NV Acabat de Degollar Cava Privat Opus Evolutium 88 Points

  Spain, Cava

  Decent sparkler.

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Lettuce hearts soaked in vanilla brine, a dressing of balsamic vinegar and country milk skins - ie: very small salad


Silky Kokotxa de Bacalao served with an acacia honey - ie: salted cod - looked disgusting, slimy texture, tasted ok


Roasted tomato salad and its own cool water (the white stuff) - very interesting and tasty

• 1968 R. López de Heredia Rioja Blanco Gran Reserva Viña Tondonia 96 Points

  Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja

  This one started off weak with the nose of paint stripper, not a good smell. We were thinking what do you expect for a 41 year-old white. But with air, it really evolved. The nose lost the funk and gained lemon gelato, smoke and cream. The palate was very big for a white, I almost thought I was drinking a pinot. There was more smoke, some sweet melon and a great creamy mouthfeel. We later found out from our guest of honor, Maria Jose Lopez de Heredia, that these wines have big tannins because the are fermented with the grape skins which allows them to age for such a long time.

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• 1970 R. López de Heredia Rioja Blanco Gran Reserva Viña Tondonia 94 Points

  Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja

  This drank much younger than the '68 with new oak, stone and white fruit on the nose. The palate had similar smoke, some more white fruit, and more acidity.

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• 1973 R. López de Heredia Rioja Blanco Gran Reserva Viña Tondonia Flawed

  Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja

  There were 2 bottles of each wine and for this one we got the bad bottle. Clearly hit by oxidation. The other table loved the '73 and whereas theirs was the lightest in color of the 3 in the flight, ours was the darkest. All I got was blue cheese on the nose and palate.

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Roasted Sea Bream served over a bed of grilled zucchini seeds - tasty dish


Smoked line caught Cuttlefish in clear pool of liliaceas and infused oil - another tasty fish

• 1981 La Rioja Alta Rioja Gran Reserva 890 90 Points

  Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja

  Started off very acidic, but grew with air. Nice dark berry palate. Nose was muted.

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• 1982 La Rioja Alta Rioja Gran Reserva 890 92 Points

  Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja

  This had big tannins and low acidity, which is consistent with the vintage. Slightly better fruit than the '81.

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Iberian Sucking Pig portions raised in a salted toffee of lactose and fresh cream - ie: pig fat, it was almost all fat, very little meat.


Milk fed Veal, roasted and perfumed with vine cutting embers and fragments of thyme, cinders, salt and crisp radishes. Perfectly cooked, but completely under-seasoned, no salt and pepper shakers to be found.


Loin of Duck served with iodized compliments, crumblings and shavings of summer truffle - a little undercooked, even for duck, but again no flavor, completely bland.

• 1991 R. López de Heredia Rioja Gran Reserva Viña Tondonia 91 Points

  Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja

  This started off weak too, but again with air it opened up nicely. Nice body and fruit, but too light for me.

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• 1961 R. López de Heredia Rioja Gran Reserva Viña Tondonia 94 Points

  Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja

  Second time trying this in 2 days. Similar to yesterday's bottle, but just slightly muted compared to that one.

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• 1947 R. López de Heredia Rioja Gran Reserva Viña Tondonia 96 Points

  Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja

  This was clearly the red WOTN. Very Bordeaux like with cedar, soy, dark berries, great body and a long finish. A contemplative wine that makes you block everything else out while you enjoy it.

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Heavy cream, sweets and leaves - what a relief after the duck.


Warm artisian tablet with whipped honey and oats - the tablet was like a carob/peanut butter bar, which I liked. Cudos to the dessert chef.


The empties. There was a flight of '54's (Tondonia and Bosconia) and a dessert wine, but I can't find my notes.


That is a good looking couple - wonder if we will see them again on this trip.

I must say that the wine was the highlight of this meal. The wine service was excellent, thank you Linda, as was the service in general. The food has some hits, but it also had some misses, and by all accounts was not as good as last year, whereas Arzak was better than last year. For a restaurant as highly rated as this, nothing should be amiss, especially the flavor of the food.