100 points Jeb Dunnuck: "Pure magic, the 2019 Aro is 70% Tempranillo and 30% Graciano from a plant by plant selection of the Muga family's oldest vines of Tempranillo, blended with a substantial portion of Graciano. This dense purple behemoth has a primordial bouquet of pure cassis, graphite, crushed stone, lead pencil, new leather, and hints of spring flowers. Building incrementally on the palate, with full-bodied richness, a huge mid-palate, and ripe, velvety tannins, this is one heavenly Rioja that deserves 7-8 years of bottle age and will age like a First Growth from Bordeaux. Hats off to the team at Muga for another incredible wine. Drink: 2029-2059. (6/13/22)"
98 points Tim Atkin, MW: "(14.5%). The 2019 is the first release of Aro since 2016, and it's well up to the standard of that celebrated wine. Tempranillo dominated with support from Graciano and ageing in new French oak, it’s one of the wines of the vintage, with subtle reduction, scented wood, tangy acidity, violet top notes, black cherry and bramble fruit and remarkable finesse. 2027-2040. (2023)."
98 points James Suckling: "Blueberries, cassis, black pepper, nutmeg and some mahogany here. Salted plums, slate, tobacco leaves and lead-pencil shavings, too. Wow. It’s full-bodied, intense and so well integrated and polished with seamless tannins. Powerful, yet elegant at the same time. 70% tempranillo and 30% graciano. 5,800 bottles only. Try this from 2027. (11/20/22)"
97 points Luis Gutiérrez (Wine Advocate): "No 2017 or 2018 were produced of this luxury cuvée made with up to 30% Graciano to complement the Tempranillo from the villages of Labastida, Briñas and Villalba, so from the impressive 2016 I tasted in June 2019, we jumped to the 2019 Aro. The destemmed grapes went through optical sorting and fermented in small oak vats with indigenous yeasts followed by malolactic in new barrels, where the wine matured for 16 months. It's not a shy wine at 14.6% alcohol, and the Graciano provides extra acidity and vibrancy. It has great balance and a spark of acidity and is a very complete wine, with great aromatics and integrated oak (all new barrels, but better integrated than ever); it has the ripeness of Graciano, which ripens with low yields and only ripens thoroughly in given vintages, and they had to skip warm years like 2011 when some varieties like Graciano and Mazuelo didn't behave well. This is the finest Aro so far. 5,800 bottles were filled in July 2021. Drink: 2024-2035. (Jul 2022)"
97 points Peñín Guide to Spanish Wine: "(tempranillo, graciano). Colour: very deep cherry. Nose: complex, expressive, spicy, mineral, ripe fruit, fruit expression. Palate: full-bodied, long, great length, soft tannins. (2023)"
97 points/'Cellar Selection,' Wine Enthusiast: "[$400 list] This dark-ruby-colored wine has aromas of brambly fruits of the wood, with touches of cedar and violet. Notes of clove and eucalyptus are joined by exquisite flavors of cherry, cassis, dark chocolate and orange zest. Downy tannins carry on into an enduring finish. Drink now through 2044. Alcohol 14.5%. (Apr 2023)"
98 points Tim Atkin, MW: "(14.5%). The 2019 is the first release of Aro since 2016, and it's well up to the standard of that celebrated wine. Tempranillo dominated with support from Graciano and ageing in new French oak, it’s one of the wines of the vintage, with subtle reduction, scented wood, tangy acidity, violet top notes, black cherry and bramble fruit and remarkable finesse. 2027-2040. (2023)."
98 points James Suckling: "Blueberries, cassis, black pepper, nutmeg and some mahogany here. Salted plums, slate, tobacco leaves and lead-pencil shavings, too. Wow. It’s full-bodied, intense and so well integrated and polished with seamless tannins. Powerful, yet elegant at the same time. 70% tempranillo and 30% graciano. 5,800 bottles only. Try this from 2027. (11/20/22)"
97 points Luis Gutiérrez (Wine Advocate): "No 2017 or 2018 were produced of this luxury cuvée made with up to 30% Graciano to complement the Tempranillo from the villages of Labastida, Briñas and Villalba, so from the impressive 2016 I tasted in June 2019, we jumped to the 2019 Aro. The destemmed grapes went through optical sorting and fermented in small oak vats with indigenous yeasts followed by malolactic in new barrels, where the wine matured for 16 months. It's not a shy wine at 14.6% alcohol, and the Graciano provides extra acidity and vibrancy. It has great balance and a spark of acidity and is a very complete wine, with great aromatics and integrated oak (all new barrels, but better integrated than ever); it has the ripeness of Graciano, which ripens with low yields and only ripens thoroughly in given vintages, and they had to skip warm years like 2011 when some varieties like Graciano and Mazuelo didn't behave well. This is the finest Aro so far. 5,800 bottles were filled in July 2021. Drink: 2024-2035. (Jul 2022)"
97 points Peñín Guide to Spanish Wine: "(tempranillo, graciano). Colour: very deep cherry. Nose: complex, expressive, spicy, mineral, ripe fruit, fruit expression. Palate: full-bodied, long, great length, soft tannins. (2023)"
97 points/'Cellar Selection,' Wine Enthusiast: "[$400 list] This dark-ruby-colored wine has aromas of brambly fruits of the wood, with touches of cedar and violet. Notes of clove and eucalyptus are joined by exquisite flavors of cherry, cassis, dark chocolate and orange zest. Downy tannins carry on into an enduring finish. Drink now through 2044. Alcohol 14.5%. (Apr 2023)"
| Product SKU | 703830 |
| Producer | Muga |
| Country | Spain |
| Region | Rioja |
| Varietal | Tempranillo/Tinto Fino |
| Vintage | 2019 |
| Size | 750ml |
| Color | Red |
| Blend | 70% Tempranillo, 30% Graciano |
| ABV | 14.5% |
| Ships To |
