In the glass
Aroma: blackberry, cassis, mocha, violet, cedar
Palate: dense black fruit, espresso, ripe tannin, graphite
Muga's modern, French-oak prestige red: dark, dense and polished, with mocha and cassis over firm tannins, a counterpoint to the traditional Prado Enea.
What it pairs with
-
Chuleton de buey a la brasa
Find chuleton de buey a la brasa on TableJourney →
A char-grilled aged-beef chop matches Torre Muga's firm tannin and mocha oak. -
Venison loin
Dark game meets the wine's cassis-and-espresso density. -
Aged Manchego
Hard cheese balances the grippy structure.
How to serve Torre Muga
Allow 95 minutes from open to pour.
- Open and decant. Open 90 minutes before serving and pour into a decanter to aerate.
- Serve at 16-18°C. Cellar temperature (16-18°C) is the band for this style. Warmer pushes alcohol forward; colder dampens aromatics.
- Glassware. Use a large Bordeaux-style glass: the bowl shape rewards the wine's structure.
- Pair with. Chuleton de buey a la brasa, Venison loin, Aged Manchego. Match the wine's structure to the dish's fat and salt.
History
Torre Muga is the house's modern, internationally styled prestige red introduced in the early 1990s and aged in new French oak.
- 1991 — First Torre Muga vintage
Facts
- Producer
- Bodegas Muga
- Grapes
- Tempranillo (75%), Graciano (15%), Mazuelo (10%)
- Classification
- DOCa Rioja
- Oak
- Around 18 months in new French oak
- ABV
- 14.5%
- Price
- EUR 55 to 90 at retail
- Drinking window
- 8 to 25 from vintage
- First vintage
- 1991
Scores
- Tim Atkin 94 (2017 vintage, reviewed 2022)
Frequently asked about Torre Muga
What does Torre Muga taste like?
On the nose, blackberry, cassis, mocha, violet, cedar. On the palate, dense black fruit, espresso, ripe tannin, graphite. Structurally full-bodied, firm tannins, high acidity with a long finish. Muga's modern, French-oak prestige red: dark, dense and polished, with mocha and cassis over firm tannins, a counterpoint to the traditional Prado Enea.
When should I drink Torre Muga?
Drink 8 to 25 from vintage. Young vintages benefit from 30-90 minutes of decanting; mature bottles should be handled carefully for sediment.
What food pairs with Torre Muga?
Chuleton de buey a la brasa is the canonical pairing. Other strong matches include Venison loin and Aged Manchego. A char-grilled aged-beef chop matches Torre Muga's firm tannin and mocha oak.
Is Torre Muga vegan?
No: the producer uses traditional animal-derived fining agents (typically egg whites or isinglass) during clarification, so the wine is not vegan.
What grapes are in Torre Muga?
The blend is Tempranillo (75%), Graciano (15%), Mazuelo (10%). The wine is classified as DOCa Rioja.