Aro 2015

Only produced in great vintages (it hasn't been produced since 2010), the 2015 Aro focuses on a mix of Tempranillo and Graciano and is a normal blend of 70% Tempranillo and 30% Graciano in 2015 that was sourced from a sandy, loam vineyard in the Rioja Alta. The vinification occurs in larger oak tanks and the wine spends 18 months in new French oak followed by a year in bottle before release. Incredible notes of liquid violets, blueberries, blackberries, smoked earth, chocolate, and graphite aromas and flavors all dominate the bouquet, and it’s rich, full-bodied, ultra-pure, and flawlessly balanced on the palate. This is a powerful, magical wine in every sense. It needs 4-5 years of bottle age and will keep for 20-25 years or more.

I was gladly surprised to find that Muga had produced and just bottled a 2015 Aro, which will not be released until the end of 2018. This is always powerful and concentrated, a selection and blending exercise of individual plants from select vineyards, healthier vines, those that produced smaller bunches, and so on. Since the first harvest of Aro in the year 2000, they have bought more old vineyards, so they applied the same exercise to these new vineyards, which are planted with massal selections. They focus on Graciano and Tempranillo, and they ferment and age these grapes separately. Only in exceptional vintages do they decide to bottle this Aro. It's produced in a similar way as Torre Muga, fermentation by plot in small oak vats (some as small as 1,000 kilograms!), the difference is the grape selection. It aged in brand new French oak barriques selected by the grain of the wood. They look for very small grain (which means slow growing of the oak trees). It started off quite closed, but the first impression was of a very good wine, still very young and still a little marked by the élevage, with some oak notes emerging after the wine had been in the glass for a while. There is almost 30% Graciano in this blend, with the rest Tempranillo. This is full-bodied with abundant, fine-grained tannins and very good balance. This will require some more time in bottle and should have a long life ahead. They filled some 5,600 bottles in September 2017.

A more sophisticated, savory and minerally attitude on the nose with dark chocolate, plum liqueur and dark cherry that's still very primary. Violets, too. This has sexy, seductive dark plums and berries on the palate with an immaculate tannin texture and freshness. Profound, unending depth. Wow! Try this from 2023.