Fantastic stuff and extra pleased that it held up so well knowing it came from what wasn't a very good year. Plenty of life and fruit in this one. The tannins were smooth and the feel was round and plush. Wish I still had more of this year in the cellar.
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Clear garnet with an auburn tint. Nose of leather, prunes, blackberry, and vanilla. Medium palate of blackberry, plum, hoisin, leather, & tobacco. Good length. Pleasant acidity. Faded tannins. Integrated oak. This is a QPR Rioja Reserva that flirts with excellence but doesn't quite make it. IMHO, it has evolved and matured as much as it can. It will likely go downhill from here.
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Beim Öffnen wikt der Wein reif und dennoch hat er gute Säure und Tanine, kein Schwergewicht, etwas trocknend, nach etwas Zeit vielleicht würzig scharf am Gaumen, verändert sich im Glas weiter, auf dem Niveau weiter gut bis sehr gut trinkbar. Nach ca. einer weiteren Stunde wird der Wein körperreicher und wirkt alkoholisch mit hervortretender kirschiger Säure und behält eine hohe Trinkaufforderung. Die Tanine halten den Wein sicher noch 10 Jahre.
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Nice. Not showing any ill effects of the 2003 vintage. Maybe a bit less dust than is typical. Very bdx-like. Medium body. Red and dark fruit. Decent acid.
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Leather and dried provencal herbs on the nose. Wine is a light garnet. First opened and was tight and a little thin. Hour or so later and after running through the airator much better with plenty of acid and tannins plus lots of juicy tart cherry fruit with good length on the aftertaste. Definitely a food wine that needs to open up a bit. Wonder how long it needs.
Put a cork in the wine and stuck it in the fridge. The next night after letting it come up to room temp it was a different wine - the saddle leather had receded and the fruit and dried herbs were pronounced, in the mouth the wine was delicious and well balanced - I would actually bump up the rating to 90-91.
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Drinking beautifully right now; lip smacking juicy red cherry berry fruit with blazing clean acidity, wood is well integrated, tannins are sweet and the wine is impeccably balanced. Very impressive showing.
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Vanilla, oak and leather on the nose with notes of dark berries, cassis, cocoa, spice and alcohol. Nice full bodied mouth feel with smooth tannins but about above average acidity. Nice cherrie notes on the tip of my tongue but the acidic finish is almost over the top. While I don't get the tobacco and cigar aspects I do sense the tar. There is some brambleness to the smell along with a lingering alcohol finish on the palate. Some said like Scotch and I would agree but much smoother. Would be great with nice rich red meat. We are having poblano chicken enchiladas with barracho beans. More to come....
After about 2 hours it really opened and smoothed. Very nice wine. More vanilla and oak, cherries, but still a big acidic finish from the alcohol and spice.
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Very oaky. Almost like a scotch taste :-). Oak is in the nose as well as taste. The nose also has a bit of lemon, tobacco, and very deep jam. The taste reveals oak, but is also a bit sour. Has tobacco, lime, and almost a faint cigar taste.
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Enjoyable. Strong nose of cherries with a little earthiness (not quite to barnyard level, but close). Little bit of oak, some moderate tannin, but nice flavors of red fruits and earth. Went well with chicken in red mole sauce.
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Wonderful price point for such a nice Rioja. Dark promising colour, rich nose of pomegrants (this was noted by a 9 year old with a great nose...but not tasted by him), leather, currants etc. Nice smooth tannins and a reasonably long finish. Very enjoyable.
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From memory - cherries, tobaco and enough acidity to keep things fresh; no signs of undue alcoholic heat from the warm vintage - beginning to drink well, but still on the young side. Looks to be another very solid Muga reserva.
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Wonderful old-world nose that reminded me of a good Chianti Classico although on the palate it was not as acidic as a Chianti. Tobacco notes, with some nutmeg and dark berries. Smooth and pleasant this did have a short finish though. Reminds me to drink more Rioja as they usually always please and are friendly on the wallet.
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Half bottle: Dark garnet red with subdued fruit notes. Taste was very silky-smooth with lots of tobacco, oak and dried cherries. A very well balanced wine. Hints of cocoa and pepper on the back notes; medium long finish.
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i agree. Muga Rocks. A very consistent wine year over year. opened second bottle of six. Sour cherries, with oak and dry tannins. a very nice combination.
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A very nice wine. Although it lacked a bit of fruit on the front end, it was smooth and well balanced and came through on the mid palate. It had a lengthy finish of tobacco, prune, cocoa, and spice. I think this is also great qpr.
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Always love this wine. Very consistent in its taste and flavor. I love oaky scotch and Muga has this nice oak finish, which I love. The nose is deep red ruby-ish, tobacco, and cherry-ish. Delicious. Just had it with a combo of Indo-Mexican food (mexican ground meat with Indian rice/dal). Went real well. I will just echo the words of another reviewer, "Muga rocks." :-)
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Aroma of cocoa, dark fruit, and tobacco. Great fruit flavors and long finish. Definitely helped by decanting (very tight at first). Liked it enough to buy the 2004.
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Had at Jaleo, no formal notes. More old world than I anticipated being a 2003. Nose of plum, cherry, a little vanilla, and tobbaco. On the palate there was red fruit, plum, cocoa, and tobacco leaf. The finish was average and was really out preformed by the Jumillia house wine that my wife had at half the price.
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13.5% alcohol. plum, cherry, coccoa, vanilla, peppery spice, licorice, and sweet tobacco leaf. medium to full bodied. bone dry yet full of nice ripe mineral laced fruit that's well balanced by firm yet rounded tannins.
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Rated by two people as 3rd place in a 7 bottle Rioja private tasting. Did much better after being open a few hours. Decant or leave open all day before drinking.
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Not decanted. Light to medium ruby. Aromas of floral cherry and tire rubber. Though certainly more forward that a traditional Muga, this nonetheless maintained a solid ‘old world’ style of earthy driven, yet ripe red fruit. Fascinating change with a tomato based dish, as the wines flavor became more focused with terrific acidity and supporting tannins. Reminds me of a cross between a sangiovese and grenache. Should age gracefully and a very respectable buy at $22.
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11/06/08 - Rich ruby red with a hint of brick. Slight oak notes. Earthy tones with red fruit in the background. Med Tannins, Alcohol,acidity all nicely blended and balanced. Slight velvet mouthfeel with a red candy note on the finish.
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Initial nose of decaying leaf, strawberry, salami and with two hours open sweeter notes of caramel emerge. On the palate the first thing out of the gates is full throttle acidity.....followed by a structure that seems markedly advanced with alot of tertiary flavors, cherries, minimal but noticeable ripe background tannin, medium - weight (concentration), Short structural finish. 86+pts
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Really enjoying Spanish wines, for their power, finesse and taste and this one is excellent as always, a fine Rioja, and certainly almost as good as the pricier Muga 'Selection Especialle', we had alongside, certainly not half as good as the price would suggest, hence a very good value - Dark purple/red, medium/full concentration with notes of cherry, plum, spice, cedar and vanilla accents on the nose, very well structured, yet elegant as well (13.5%), the finish was smooth and long, well done for $20! (90 Points).
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Friday eve at Goya in Pimlico, London with Mike and Clare. No formal note. This had ripe red berried fruit and plenty of vanilla, good concentration and surprisingly fresh acidity but was a little simple, oaky and quite tannic. Will probably improve but right now no better than good.
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Very well made and well balanced, flavors of cherry and plum abound, with nice oak treatment. Tasted blind I would have guessed this was a chianti classico.
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bright fruit and floral aroma, cherry, leather, and oak flavors, slightly tart, medium body, decent finish, seemed almost too light for a spicy bison bolognese
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I love the oak base, particularly because I also like scotch. There was a lot of oak, leather, tar, and tobacco, and just spices on the taste. The nose was berries. Loved the wine yesterday. Had some cheese, but that didn't make much of a difference.
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A deep, dark color, with some initial purple, when first liberated from the bottle. A nose of raisins, dark fruits, cassis, Spanish dust, and blackberries. On the palate, the wine is smooth, balanced, rich, and a little hot on the alcohol. Less espresso than some other Muga's I've had. The finish is not particularly long, but it is smooth, with no bitterness. Matched surprisingly well with a truly odd-duck meal tonight of fresh-grilled baramundi and mushrooms, and rigatoncini pasta abruzzese with homemade garlic-pesto made with fresh basil and raw pinenuts. Like I said, a difficult pairing. A very fishy fish, and a very garlic-intense, fresh basil, and pinenut laden pesto, which caused various extremes in flavor alternating from pungent brine to strong garlic. Amazingly, the wine thread the needle quite well. The wine could use some additional time, but when all is said and done, it works just fine now, thank you.
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Good dark fruit. Nice sour cherry on the finish. Some light pickle juice on the nose which was very nice. Really liked this a lot. Could probably use a couple of more years, but drinking very nicely now.
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Cork seal. Decanted for 2 hours. Kirsch, vanilla aromas, some pencil shavings. Dominant kirsch and vanilla flavours as well, some leathery, plummy components in the background. Light-medium bodied, with fine-grained bonedry tannins. What makes this wine very pleasant is the initial extremely soft mouthfeel, followed (after a few seconds) by a nicely balanced tannis/acid profile. In combination with a nice steak, the acids are hardly noticable, but w/o food, they are dominant. Finish a bit acidic, not terribly long. No heat. Would buy again at $21.
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Nose of cherry and plum. Cherry and plum flavors come forward but not in a bomb. Vanilla was also in front with a decent finish. This wine was smooth and had hints of "old world" style with gentle leather flavors and a hint of lead on the nose. Very well balanced. Good with almost anything. I will buy this again at the right price.
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Color is pretty dark with lighter edges. Nose showing nice dark red fruits: Plums, raspberry, cherry. Some pencil lead. Floral notes. With time in the glass, the cherry seems to come forward. Palate shows forward fruits with coffee notes on the mid palate. Medium to light weight. Nicely balanced at the moment with some tannins on the finish.
Overall this is drinking very nicely. I anticipate it improving as it involves over the evening. The fruit will balance out the tannins in the finish. If this indeed happens, I'll bump my 87 rating up a point or two. I'd recommend 60-90 minute decant. Seems there's enough tannin to keep this safe in the cellar for another 3-5 years.
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Gentle red fruit profile, with a quenching quality to the red current and red cherry flavors. Nice touch of leather and just a whiff of new oak. Would buy again at the right price ($20-ish).
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Muga clásico, Rioja de toda la vida. Lo bebemos con la cena, cordero, pollo con mostaza, ajos y ensaladas con vinagre y lo aguanta todo: tiene cuerpo y dura. No sé si vale la pena guardar 3 o 4 botellas para probar en 5 años, la verdad es que está bueno ahora.
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Popped and poured from a 375ml bottle. Dark garnet color. Initially very tight nose with hints of cherry and musty earth. Palate not showing much, but with some time revealing sour cherry, with some earthiness and oak, and minerality on the finish. This is still very young, but shows some promise. You can tell there is some good fruit hiding in there. Half bottle saved for tomorrow. 89 with upside.
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A nose just like a Rioja that I like should have: plum and port tones, heavy solid character. But once on the tongue, the light wine flees leaving an acid tartness, no body, empty. After the residual tastes reach critical mass with a few more glasses, there is a slight pleasant finish: disappointing. No heavy sediment taste as one might fear from "Unfiltered".
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Really could not taste anything in this wine but oak. Very dissapointing. It costs $24 in Canada and this is an outrageous price for such lack lustre quality.
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Confraria A.C. - Muga (Porto Rubaiyat): Tempranillo (70%), garnacha (20%), mazuelo y graciano (10%). Permanece em grandes tonéis de carvalho americano por 6 meses, depois 24 meses em barricas (225l) de carvalho americano e francês e 12 meses em garrafa. Clarificação com clara de ovo. Rubi claro, halo aquoso. Aromas intensos de coco, resina e lácteo. Em boca, alta e agradável acidez, bastante fruta madura lembrando framboesa, notas de esmalte e cereja, com final de boca limpo, fresco. Não se destaca pela complexidade, mas tem estrutura, frescor e concentração de fruta. 89-90pts. E.
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Another excellent Muga - It was very elegant, with typical tempranillo notes on the nose, nicely concentrated, complex and balanced, with a nice length on the finish (90 Points).
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From the scorching 2003 vintage, but you wouldn't necessarily guess it, given the nice structure and the surprisingly refined steeliness. I get some raspberry and a grapey note on the palate, followed by a mid-length finish that shows some tobacco (and just the slightest bit of heat). It's an excellent bargain and a good food wine.
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Opened and decanted for 1.5 hours. Deep purple in color. Wine is thick and viscous and aesthetically very appealing. Rich nose of currants, spice, vanilla with a nice hint of bacon fat. Very layered, and structured. Wine is medium bodied mingled with slight heat, with a midpalate that's full of dark fruits, cherries and the likes, along with a touch of oak. Finish is 25s+ with melting, chewable and lingering tannins. Wine drinks good now with prolonged decanting, but will improve with 2-3 years in the bottle and should hold for some time. This wine is fusion in style, a touch of new world with a slight fruit-forwardness and a touch of old with its' complexity and perceived nuances. Very impressed for the price.
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aromas of cherry, plum, cassis, peppery spice, vanilla, oak , earth and cedar notes. med. to full bodied, nice complex balance of ripe fruit and dry dusty tannins with a bit of acidity. a nice food wine that's drinking well now but still has some cellar potential.
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deep dark purple garnet color. aromas of plum, cherry, berries, cola, tamarind, hints of tar and cocoa with mineral / vitamin notes, tobacco, cedar, peppery spice, and sbtle vanilla oak. med. to full bodied, this wine has a rich mouthfeel of polished bright fruit balanced with gripping tannins, well intergrated 13.5% alcoho,l and a long dry finish.
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Great dark color. Very aromatic with hints of black cherry, chocolate, and tobacco. Full-bodied with loads of dark cherry on the palate. Silky, silky smooth mouth feel finishing off with vanilla, pepper and an enjoyable amount of oak.
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Garnet-crimson; intense sweet cherries, leather, tobacco; dried cherry, medium body, good balance, good acidity, firm tannins, lingering finish. Decanted 1 hr. Always a great value, this delivered again although not quite the '01. A good match for medium-rare striploin.
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Medium-dark ruby colour with purple tinges. Aromas of plum, blackcurrant, and licorice. Medium-full bodied with minerals, plums, currant, licorice, and dark fruit. Moderate finish, ~30s, dark fruit and mineral notes.
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Really excited to open this one up as 2003 was an excellent vintage in Rioja and the wine did not disappoint. A candied raspberry, cherry noes with lots of sweet vanilla and tobacco oak notes. Not as concentrated on the mid-palate as the 2001 though but I can't remember how the 2001 tasting at this age. The palate is highly acidic but well integrated with slight dusty tannins on a mid-long sweet tannic finish. Very nice and still an excellent QPR. Better than the 2002. 90+
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12/24/2018 - cristian_m wrote: 90 Points
Fantastic stuff and extra pleased that it held up so well knowing it came from what wasn't a very good year. Plenty of life and fruit in this one. The tannins were smooth and the feel was round and plush. Wish I still had more of this year in the cellar.
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10/8/2014 - Bakeman wrote: 85 Points
Just OK. Probably way past the drinking window. Put it out at a party to make sure it got consumed. No complaints, but not a killer.
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6/11/2014 - no leashes wrote: 89 Points
Similar notes to last time - red cherry, earth and pepper. Moderate dry tannins. Good food wine.
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3/2/2013 - Schönibert wrote: 89 Points
Sehr gefällig, halbe Stunde nach dem Öffnen geht's los. Hier gibt's Vanille und Kirschen mit guter Säure und Rückgrat durch hintergründige Tanine.
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2/24/2013 - Wink wrote: 88 Points
Clear garnet with an auburn tint. Nose of leather, prunes, blackberry, and vanilla. Medium palate of blackberry, plum, hoisin, leather, & tobacco. Good length. Pleasant acidity. Faded tannins. Integrated oak. This is a QPR Rioja Reserva that flirts with excellence but doesn't quite make it. IMHO, it has evolved and matured as much as it can. It will likely go downhill from here.
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10/7/2012 - Schönibert wrote: 85 Points
Unverändert, deutliche Kirschsäure charakterisiert den Wein.
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4/28/2012 - Schönibert wrote: 86 Points
Beim Öffnen wikt der Wein reif und dennoch hat er gute Säure und Tanine, kein Schwergewicht, etwas trocknend, nach etwas Zeit vielleicht würzig scharf am Gaumen, verändert sich im Glas weiter, auf dem Niveau weiter gut bis sehr gut trinkbar. Nach ca. einer weiteren Stunde wird der Wein körperreicher und wirkt alkoholisch mit hervortretender kirschiger Säure und behält eine hohe Trinkaufforderung. Die Tanine halten den Wein sicher noch 10 Jahre.
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3/11/2012 - GraemeBell wrote: 87 Points
Fruit has receded. Pencil shavings and a little raisiny. Oak well in check. Well balanced but very austere.
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11/10/2011 - kkleg wrote: 87 Points
Very smooth. Notes of leather and dark fruit. A bit Bordeaux-like. Still has a couple of years, I'd guess.
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10/2/2011 - Schönibert wrote: 85 Points
Leder, trocken, dicht, braucht Luft, zeigt aber andererseits gerade etwas Maggi in der Nase.
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8/1/2011 - Armando B wrote: 88 Points
Nice. Not showing any ill effects of the 2003 vintage. Maybe a bit less dust than is typical. Very bdx-like. Medium body. Red and dark fruit. Decent acid.
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3/17/2011 - ctjared wrote:
leather? Raisin? Not sure, but its got some life left and is balanced. Not the way I remember it, but good nonetheless.
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11/27/2010 - Terroirist wrote:
Great QPR... no formal notes.
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11/23/2010 - michael47 wrote: 89 Points
Leather and dried provencal herbs on the nose. Wine is a light garnet. First opened and was tight and a little thin. Hour or so later and after running through the airator much better with plenty of acid and tannins plus lots of juicy tart cherry fruit with good length on the aftertaste. Definitely a food wine that needs to open up a bit. Wonder how long it needs.
Put a cork in the wine and stuck it in the fridge. The next night after letting it come up to room temp it was a different wine - the saddle leather had receded and the fruit and dried herbs were pronounced, in the mouth the wine was delicious and well balanced - I would actually bump up the rating to 90-91.
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10/30/2010 - Ombibulous wrote: 81 Points
I was nonplussed by this wine. It was tasty but a little disorganized, lacking in balance. Good (81.5).
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6/15/2010 - DHJ1968 wrote:
Drinking beautifully right now; lip smacking juicy red cherry berry fruit with blazing clean acidity, wood is well integrated, tannins are sweet and the wine is impeccably balanced. Very impressive showing.
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3/11/2010 - BillyT wrote: 90 Points
Vanilla, oak and leather on the nose with notes of dark berries, cassis, cocoa, spice and alcohol. Nice full bodied mouth feel with smooth tannins but about above average acidity. Nice cherrie notes on the tip of my tongue but the acidic finish is almost over the top. While I don't get the tobacco and cigar aspects I do sense the tar. There is some brambleness to the smell along with a lingering alcohol finish on the palate. Some said like Scotch and I would agree but much smoother. Would be great with nice rich red meat. We are having poblano chicken enchiladas with barracho beans. More to come....
After about 2 hours it really opened and smoothed. Very nice wine. More vanilla and oak, cherries, but still a big acidic finish from the alcohol and spice.
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1/16/2010 - winecoffee wrote: 90 Points
Very oaky. Almost like a scotch taste :-). Oak is in the nose as well as taste. The nose also has a bit of lemon, tobacco, and very deep jam. The taste reveals oak, but is also a bit sour. Has tobacco, lime, and almost a faint cigar taste.
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1/11/2010 - danieladx wrote:
Enjoyable. Strong nose of cherries with a little earthiness (not quite to barnyard level, but close). Little bit of oak, some moderate tannin, but nice flavors of red fruits and earth. Went well with chicken in red mole sauce.
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11/15/2009 - formula1 wrote: 90 Points
Wonderful price point for such a nice Rioja. Dark promising colour, rich nose of pomegrants (this was noted by a 9 year old with a great nose...but not tasted by him), leather, currants etc. Nice smooth tannins and a reasonably long finish. Very enjoyable.
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11/14/2009 - DHJ1968 wrote:
From memory - cherries, tobaco and enough acidity to keep things fresh; no signs of undue alcoholic heat from the warm vintage - beginning to drink well, but still on the young side. Looks to be another very solid Muga reserva.
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8/27/2009 - Arch57 wrote: 90 Points
Wonderful old-world nose that reminded me of a good Chianti Classico although on the palate it was not as acidic as a Chianti. Tobacco notes, with some nutmeg and dark berries. Smooth and pleasant this did have a short finish though. Reminds me to drink more Rioja as they usually always please and are friendly on the wallet.
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8/27/2009 - Fozziedoggie wrote: 90 Points
Half bottle: Dark garnet red with subdued fruit notes. Taste was very silky-smooth with lots of tobacco, oak and dried cherries. A very well balanced wine. Hints of cocoa and pepper on the back notes; medium long finish.
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7/9/2009 - lolo66 wrote: 90 Points
i agree. Muga Rocks. A very consistent wine year over year. opened second bottle of six. Sour cherries, with oak and dry tannins. a very nice combination.
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6/7/2009 - Sleahy511 wrote: 91 Points
Very spicy
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3/25/2009 - lolo66 wrote: 88 Points
gamey cherry vibrant
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1/5/2009 - Matt T wrote: 90 Points
A very nice wine. Although it lacked a bit of fruit on the front end, it was smooth and well balanced and came through on the mid palate. It had a lengthy finish of tobacco, prune, cocoa, and spice. I think this is also great qpr.
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1/4/2009 - winecoffee wrote: 90 Points
Always love this wine. Very consistent in its taste and flavor. I love oaky scotch and Muga has this nice oak finish, which I love. The nose is deep red ruby-ish, tobacco, and cherry-ish. Delicious. Just had it with a combo of Indo-Mexican food (mexican ground meat with Indian rice/dal). Went real well. I will just echo the words of another reviewer, "Muga rocks." :-)
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1/3/2009 - Trax wrote: 90 Points
Aroma of cocoa, dark fruit, and tobacco. Great fruit flavors and long finish. Definitely helped by decanting (very tight at first). Liked it enough to buy the 2004.
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1/2/2009 - manonthemoon wrote: 88 Points
Had at Jaleo, no formal notes. More old world than I anticipated being a 2003. Nose of plum, cherry, a little vanilla, and tobbaco. On the palate there was red fruit, plum, cocoa, and tobacco leaf. The finish was average and was really out preformed by the Jumillia house wine that my wife had at half the price.
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12/14/2008 - wcacern wrote: 90 Points
13.5% alcohol. plum, cherry, coccoa, vanilla, peppery spice, licorice, and sweet tobacco leaf. medium to full bodied. bone dry yet full of nice ripe mineral laced fruit that's well balanced by firm yet rounded tannins.
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12/3/2008 - gripNsip wrote:
Rated by two people as 3rd place in a 7 bottle Rioja private tasting. Did much better after being open a few hours. Decant or leave open all day before drinking.
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11/24/2008 - wirelesswine wrote: 89 Points
This time around got a nice fruit forward impression, almost jammy with nice concentration. Leaning towards new-world and very enjoyable.
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11/22/2008 - Dale M wrote: 90 Points
Not decanted. Light to medium ruby. Aromas of floral cherry and tire rubber. Though certainly more forward that a traditional Muga, this nonetheless maintained a solid ‘old world’ style of earthy driven, yet ripe red fruit. Fascinating change with a tomato based dish, as the wines flavor became more focused with terrific acidity and supporting tannins. Reminds me of a cross between a sangiovese and grenache. Should age gracefully and a very respectable buy at $22.
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11/19/2008 - nschmidt wrote: 90 Points
Drank with cheese platter at home. Pleasantly surprised. Smooth with enough body to go with some strong cheese. Loved it. Excellent QPR.
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11/15/2008 - formula1 wrote: 90 Points
Very nice Rioja. Dark colour, dark berry fruits on the nose and palate. Very nice mouthfeel with a decent length finish.
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11/7/2008 - sram wrote: 85 Points
11/06/08 - Rich ruby red with a hint of brick. Slight oak notes. Earthy tones with red fruit in the background. Med Tannins, Alcohol,acidity all nicely blended and balanced. Slight velvet mouthfeel with a red candy note on the finish.
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11/4/2008 - Nacnud wrote:
What a great buy. A great bottle of Rioja that's not too modern, not too traditional. It's just right.
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10/24/2008 - LPskeleton wrote: 86 Points
Initial nose of decaying leaf, strawberry, salami and with two hours open sweeter notes of caramel emerge. On the palate the first thing out of the gates is full throttle acidity.....followed by a structure that seems markedly advanced with alot of tertiary flavors, cherries, minimal but noticeable ripe background tannin, medium - weight (concentration), Short structural finish. 86+pts
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9/3/2008 - jdoakpark wrote: 88 Points
Nice overall, but tasted lighter than past bottles.
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7/26/2008 - Tarrant wrote: 90 Points
Really enjoying Spanish wines, for their power, finesse and taste and this one is excellent as always, a fine Rioja, and certainly almost as good as the pricier Muga 'Selection Especialle', we had alongside, certainly not half as good as the price would suggest, hence a very good value - Dark purple/red, medium/full concentration with notes of cherry, plum, spice, cedar and vanilla accents on the nose, very well structured, yet elegant as well (13.5%), the finish was smooth and long, well done for $20! (90 Points).
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7/25/2008 - Paul D wrote: 82 Points
Friday eve at Goya in Pimlico, London with Mike and Clare. No formal note. This had ripe red berried fruit and plenty of vanilla, good concentration and surprisingly fresh acidity but was a little simple, oaky and quite tannic. Will probably improve but right now no better than good.
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6/24/2008 - tim_c wrote:
I'm trying, but not a fan of Rioja.
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6/14/2008 - Double D wrote: 86 Points
This seemed surprisingly thin compared to other vintages of this same wine.
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5/28/2008 - jdoakpark wrote: 86 Points
ok, but seems very average overall
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5/24/2008 - wirelesswine wrote: 89 Points
Very well made and well balanced, flavors of cherry and plum abound, with nice oak treatment. Tasted blind I would have guessed this was a chianti classico.
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5/20/2008 - whits wrote: 86 Points
bright fruit and floral aroma, cherry, leather, and oak flavors, slightly tart, medium body, decent finish, seemed almost too light for a spicy bison bolognese
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4/25/2008 - winecoffee wrote: 90 Points
I love the oak base, particularly because I also like scotch. There was a lot of oak, leather, tar, and tobacco, and just spices on the taste. The nose was berries. Loved the wine yesterday. Had some cheese, but that didn't make much of a difference.
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4/23/2008 - Greg_O wrote: 91 Points
Toasty oak on the nose. Sour dark cherries with med+ acidity balanced by a nice oak treatment, good tannic grip and undertones of leather and pepper.
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4/12/2008 - formula1 wrote: 89 Points
Nice dark colour with flavours of cherry and some spice. Not overoaked. Want to compare it with the special selecton bottle to see the
difference.
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4/4/2008 - acoulson wrote: 91 Points
Muga rocks
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4/1/2008 - A&C wrote: 89 Points
A deep, dark color, with some initial purple, when first liberated from the bottle. A nose of raisins, dark fruits, cassis, Spanish dust, and blackberries. On the palate, the wine is smooth, balanced, rich, and a little hot on the alcohol. Less espresso than some other Muga's I've had. The finish is not particularly long, but it is smooth, with no bitterness. Matched surprisingly well with a truly odd-duck meal tonight of fresh-grilled baramundi and mushrooms, and rigatoncini pasta abruzzese with homemade garlic-pesto made with fresh basil and raw pinenuts. Like I said, a difficult pairing. A very fishy fish, and a very garlic-intense, fresh basil, and pinenut laden pesto, which caused various extremes in flavor alternating from pungent brine to strong garlic. Amazingly, the wine thread the needle quite well. The wine could use some additional time, but when all is said and done, it works just fine now, thank you.
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3/22/2008 - Saubrey wrote: 90 Points
Good dark fruit. Nice sour cherry on the finish. Some light pickle juice on the nose which was very nice. Really liked this a lot. Could probably use a couple of more years, but drinking very nicely now.
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3/14/2008 - Giladog wrote: 92 Points
The best wine we had all week. We tasted several Mexican, Spanish and other wines while in Zihuatanejo and this was the most enjoyable.
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3/6/2008 - gemvancouver wrote: 91 Points
decanted for 2 hours, served with manchego and green olives. fantastic way to start evening ...
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2/3/2008 - soyhead wrote: 90 Points
deep nose of felt pen, roasted coffee bean, mint, and shoe
good dark fruits in the mouth (frutier than expected given the nose)
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1/21/2008 - ehelle wrote: 88 Points
Cork seal. Decanted for 2 hours.
Kirsch, vanilla aromas, some pencil shavings.
Dominant kirsch and vanilla flavours as well, some leathery, plummy components in the background.
Light-medium bodied, with fine-grained bonedry tannins. What makes this wine very pleasant is the initial extremely soft mouthfeel, followed (after a few seconds) by a nicely balanced tannis/acid profile. In combination with a nice steak, the acids are hardly noticable, but w/o food, they are dominant. Finish a bit acidic, not terribly long. No heat.
Would buy again at $21.
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1/21/2008 - Kamikaze wrote: 90 Points
Needs a couple of years to show its full potential.
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1/19/2008 - jdoakpark wrote: 89 Points
really liked it...great nose of dark fruit and nice mid palate....nice
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1/16/2008 - no leashes wrote: 88 Points
Cherry, earth flavors, moderate tannins, dry finish. Pleasant drink.
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1/15/2008 - Rob MacKay wrote: 85 Points
This is a simple, straightforward, well made wine. Nothing over the top and easy to enjoy. Matches very well with hard cheeses.
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1/12/2008 - Whinojb wrote: 90 Points
Nose of cherry and plum. Cherry and plum flavors come forward but not in a bomb. Vanilla was also in front with a decent finish. This wine was smooth and had hints of "old world" style with gentle leather flavors and a hint of lead on the nose. Very well balanced. Good with almost anything. I will buy this again at the right price.
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12/27/2007 - Jazzman wrote: 90 Points
Decanted 30+minutes.
Color is pretty dark with lighter edges.
Nose showing nice dark red fruits: Plums, raspberry, cherry. Some pencil lead. Floral notes. With time in the glass, the cherry seems to come forward.
Palate shows forward fruits with coffee notes on the mid palate. Medium to light weight. Nicely balanced at the moment with some tannins on the finish.
Overall this is drinking very nicely. I anticipate it improving as it involves over the evening. The fruit will balance out the tannins in the finish. If this indeed happens, I'll bump my 87 rating up a point or two. I'd recommend 60-90 minute decant. Seems there's enough tannin to keep this safe in the cellar for another 3-5 years.
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12/24/2007 - Dale M wrote: 89 Points
Gentle red fruit profile, with a quenching quality to the red current and red cherry flavors. Nice touch of leather and just a whiff of new oak. Would buy again at the right price ($20-ish).
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12/3/2007 - viscalbarsa wrote: 88 Points
Muga clásico, Rioja de toda la vida. Lo bebemos con la cena, cordero, pollo con mostaza, ajos y ensaladas con vinagre y lo aguanta todo: tiene cuerpo y dura. No sé si vale la pena guardar 3 o 4 botellas para probar en 5 años, la verdad es que está bueno ahora.
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11/28/2007 - Grape_ape wrote: 89 Points
Popped and poured from a 375ml bottle. Dark garnet color. Initially very tight nose with hints of cherry and musty earth. Palate not showing much, but with some time revealing sour cherry, with some earthiness and oak, and minerality on the finish. This is still very young, but shows some promise. You can tell there is some good fruit hiding in there. Half bottle saved for tomorrow. 89 with upside.
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11/1/2007 - Gargantua wrote: 87 Points
A nose just like a Rioja that I like should have: plum and port tones, heavy solid character. But once on the tongue, the light wine flees leaving an acid tartness, no body, empty. After the residual tastes reach critical mass with a few more glasses, there is a slight pleasant finish: disappointing. No heavy sediment taste as one might fear from "Unfiltered".
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9/16/2007 - tudval wrote: 84 Points
Really could not taste anything in this wine but oak. Very dissapointing. It costs $24 in Canada and this is an outrageous price for such lack lustre quality.
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9/3/2007 - Vinho wrote: 90 Points
Confraria A.C. - Muga (Porto Rubaiyat): Tempranillo (70%), garnacha (20%), mazuelo y graciano (10%). Permanece em grandes tonéis de carvalho americano por 6 meses, depois 24 meses em barricas (225l) de carvalho americano e francês e 12 meses em garrafa. Clarificação com clara de ovo. Rubi claro, halo aquoso. Aromas intensos de coco, resina e lácteo. Em boca, alta e agradável acidez, bastante fruta madura lembrando framboesa, notas de esmalte e cereja, com final de boca limpo, fresco. Não se destaca pela complexidade, mas tem estrutura, frescor e concentração de fruta. 89-90pts. E.
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8/31/2007 - Tarrant wrote: 90 Points
Another excellent Muga - It was very elegant, with typical tempranillo notes on the nose, nicely concentrated, complex and balanced, with a nice length on the finish (90 Points).
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8/29/2007 - Stephan O wrote: 90 Points
From the scorching 2003 vintage, but you wouldn't necessarily guess it, given the nice structure and the surprisingly refined steeliness. I get some raspberry and a grapey note on the palate, followed by a mid-length finish that shows some tobacco (and just the slightest bit of heat). It's an excellent bargain and a good food wine.
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8/27/2007 - LesterKwong wrote: 90 Points
Opened and decanted for 1.5 hours. Deep purple in color. Wine is thick and viscous and aesthetically very appealing. Rich nose of currants, spice, vanilla with a nice hint of bacon fat. Very layered, and structured. Wine is medium bodied mingled with slight heat, with a midpalate that's full of dark fruits, cherries and the likes, along with a touch of oak. Finish is 25s+ with melting, chewable and lingering tannins. Wine drinks good now with prolonged decanting, but will improve with 2-3 years in the bottle and should hold for some time. This wine is fusion in style, a touch of new world with a slight fruit-forwardness and a touch of old with its' complexity and perceived nuances. Very impressed for the price.
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8/17/2007 - wcacern wrote: 91 Points
aromas of cherry, plum, cassis, peppery spice, vanilla, oak , earth and cedar notes. med. to full bodied, nice complex balance of ripe fruit and dry dusty tannins with a bit of acidity. a nice food wine that's drinking well now but still has some cellar potential.
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8/10/2007 - EMichels wrote:
Red Carpet Wine Tasting: No Notes
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7/28/2007 - wcacern wrote: 90 Points
deep dark purple garnet color. aromas of plum, cherry, berries, cola, tamarind, hints of tar and cocoa with mineral / vitamin notes, tobacco, cedar, peppery spice, and sbtle vanilla oak. med. to full bodied, this wine has a rich mouthfeel of polished bright fruit balanced with gripping tannins, well intergrated 13.5% alcoho,l and a long dry finish.
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7/22/2007 - amgryger wrote:
Great dark color. Very aromatic with hints of black cherry, chocolate, and tobacco. Full-bodied with loads of dark cherry on the palate. Silky, silky smooth mouth feel finishing off with vanilla, pepper and an enjoyable amount of oak.
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5/23/2007 - ColinR wrote: 90 Points
Garnet-crimson; intense sweet cherries, leather, tobacco; dried cherry, medium body, good balance, good acidity, firm tannins, lingering finish.
Decanted 1 hr. Always a great value, this delivered again although not quite the '01. A good match for medium-rare striploin.
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5/11/2007 - futronic wrote: 88 Points
Medium-dark ruby colour with purple tinges. Aromas of plum, blackcurrant, and licorice. Medium-full bodied with minerals, plums, currant, licorice, and dark fruit. Moderate finish, ~30s, dark fruit and mineral notes.
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4/26/2007 - Vinho wrote:
Expovinis 2007; 4/24/2007-4/26/2007: PI. Boa fruta e acidez, frutado, côco, equilibrado. 89-90.
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4/1/2007 - mimik wrote: 90 Points
Really excited to open this one up as 2003 was an excellent vintage in Rioja and the wine did not disappoint. A candied raspberry, cherry noes with lots of sweet vanilla and tobacco oak notes. Not as concentrated on the mid-palate as the 2001 though but I can't remember how the 2001 tasting at this age. The palate is highly acidic but well integrated with slight dusty tannins on a mid-long sweet tannic finish. Very nice and still an excellent QPR. Better than the 2002. 90+
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3/17/2007 - dagfinne wrote:
85 ¨89
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