Muga Rioja Prado Enea Gran Reserva 2016

97+ points Luis Gutiérrez (Wine Advocate): "The expressive, complex and nuanced 2016 Prado Enea Gran Reserva is a textbook traditional Rioja in the making. 2016 was a very elegant year, with aging potential, volume and very good acidity and freshness. It's full-bodied but fine-boned, has 14.5% alcohol, a pH of 3.6 and 5.25 grams per liter acidity. It has terrific balance, with all the components in the right proportion to age superbly in bottle. They have also been working on the selection of wood used. This wine matured in French and American oak barrels for three years, and the oak is super integrated. 127,808 bottles produced. It was bottled in January 2020. It was an exceptional year with volume and quality. Drink: 2024-2040. (2/29/24)"

97 points James Suckling: "Complex aromas of dark fruit with violets, walnuts and chocolate. Classy. It's full-bodied with plush yet fine velvety tannins, and a precise and pointed finish. Juicy and savory. Tight finish. It's very long. This is beautiful now but will be even better in three or four years. Linear and vertical at the same time. Try after 2026. (11/15/23)"

97 points Jeb Dunnuck: "Spiced red and black fruits, new saddle leather, smoky tobacco, and lead pencil are just some of the nuances in the 2016 Prado Enea Gran Reserva, a pure, medium to full-bodied, flawlessly balanced, beautifully textured Rioja from this team. With beautiful yet building tannins, a pure, focused style, and awesome length on the finish, it's a brilliant wine with a solid two decades of prime drinking ahead of it. Drink 2024-2044. (07/3/24)."

97 points/'Cellar Selection,' Wine Enthusiast: "[$110] Deep ruby in color, this wine has a nose of cocoa powder, coffee bean, lavender and cherry. It is smooth at first sip, with tannins that slowly build in volume and then drift away to reveal black cherry, blackberry, chocolate, mint and orange-zest flavors. The brilliant finish is marked with a floral note. Drink through 2036. (Jul 2024)"

96 points Joaquín Hidalgo (Vinous): "Aged in barrel for 36 months, the 2016 Gran Reserva Prado Enea is a blend of Tempranillo, Garnacha, Mazuelo and Graciano from Rioja Alta. This dark garnet wine reveals thyme, plum and sour cherry notes, accompanied by reductive nuances of matchstick and saffron. Additionally, it displays hints of biscuit, wax and dried flowers. On the palate, it is dry, supple and chalky, with a juicy, energetic flow that leads to a long-lasting, complex finish. While the leaner style brought on by the cold vintage may appear slightly unsubstantial for Prado Enea lovers, it remains absolutely delicious. Drink: 2024-2035. (Dec 2023)"

96 points Tim Atkin, MW: "Not quite as thrilling as the stunning 2015 release, but this is still a very good Prado Enea from the abundant 2016 crop. A judicious blend of Tempranillo with 20% Garnacha and 3% Mazuelo, aged in French and 20% American wood, this is engagingly aromatic, with sweet spice and garrigue top notes, red berry and black cherry flavours and detailed, fine-grained tannins. 2025-2042. (2024)"

96 points/'Podium Award,' Peñín Guide to Spanish Wine: "(tempranillo, garnacha, mazuelo, graciano). Colour: Bright cherry, garnet rim. Nose: spicy, fine reductive notes, wild herbs, black fruit, meaty notes. Palate: fresh, balanced, good acidity, fine tannins, full of life. (2024)"

94 points Wine Spectator: "[$110 list] A powerful red that nonetheless shows poise and fine integration, wrapping a core of dense tannins around focused flavors of baked black plum, green olive, fig cake and ground coffee, with a savory underpinning of loamy earth, leather and leafy herb notes. Plush in texture and appealing, with a long, well-spiced finish. Tempranillo, Graciano, Mazuelo and Garnacha. Best from 2026 through 2036. (5/8/24)"