2016 Muga Aro

In the same ballpark as the Torre Muga, the 2016 Aro (70% Tempranillo and 30% Graciano) is a magical wine that does everything right. Showing a slightly more classical style with less polished oak, it offers a massive bouquet of ripe black and blue fruits, candied violets, and exotic spices. Deep and full-bodied on the palate, it's flawlessly balanced, has the purity and elegance of the vintage front and center, fabulous tannins, and a great, great finish. It's approachable today (and most 2016s seem to have plenty of upfront charm) yet has the balance, concentration, and purity to evolve for 30 years or more.

I am speechless about this wine. It’s so deep and vertical with a stunning texture of super polished tannins and juicy acidity. Full body. Yet, it’s agile. Blackberries, black olives, chocolate, stone, cement and dried rosemary. Crazy wine. Blend of tempranillo and graciano. Release at the end of 2019. Better in 2024, but so great to taste young.

The most unusual and backward of the wines in the Muga portfolio is the Graciano-rich blend 2016 Aro, a blend of Tempranillo with 30% Graciano that is only produced when Graciano ripens properly. The grapes comes from a single vineyard that they now know quite well. 2016 was a good year for the grape, and the wine has notes of violets and dark chocolate, quite hedonistic and showy. The Graciano really lifts the Tempranillo, and the blend comes through as high pitched and vibrant, which is also the general style of the year from what I've seen. The oak is still present on the nose, and the palate shows quite tannic; the wine is going to benefit from a couple of years in bottle. If you like toasty, showy and hedonistic reds you could drink it now, but if you prefer more subtleness, you should wait for it. 5,200 bottles were filled in February 2019.