Murua Rioja Reserva | 2015

Murua is one of five wine estates owned by Spain’s Masaveu family. A family-owned business since 1840, they also own Spain’s largest private art collection in addition to impressive ventures in real estate, car parks, and medicine. They are a powerhouse, well-equipped and deeply endowed, enabling a steadfast commitment to quality. The Masaveu family purchased Murua in 1974, located in the village of Elciego, in the prestigious Rioja Alavesa, where old vines are the keystone of the estate. A traditional blend of Tempranillo with Graciano and Mazuelo, sourced from eight plots, these are our very last bottles of the 2013 Reserva. The vintage, declared only Good by the Rioja Regulatory Council, is misleading. I’ve had several impressive 2013s from producers such as, Conde de Hervías, Roda, and Muga. A cooler vintage, the best 2013s are pretty and high-toned with a juice box of acidity. Aged in a combination of French and American oak for twenty months, followed by four years in the bottle, Murua's Reserva shows-off a striking balance between fruit and earth. Medium-plus body with silky tannins, the palate is generous with dark cherries, wild strawberries, sweet charcuterie, red earth, and Graciano’s exotic white spice. If you can think beyond numbers and points (and you should), it's pretty perfect Rioja, with a flawless price.   Happy Drinking, Allegra A