Muga Rioja Blanc 2023 (750ml)

"Attractive nose with a subtle creamy touch to the melon, cantaloupe and nectarines. Crisp and dry, with a medium body and touches of salinity and phenolics at the end. Viura, malvasia and garnacha blanca. An early harvest from this hot vintage, which is crucial to keeping the acidity and liveliness of this wine. 60% fermented in barrels and the rest on the lees."

The classic white from this great estate is the 2023 Muga Blanco, which is based on 70% Viura and 30% Garnacha Blanca and Malvasía Riojana. Light gold-hued, with notes of crushed pineapple, lemon candy, and honeyed flowers, it has medium-bodied richness, a pretty, elegant mouthfeel, good acidity, and outstanding length.

All hand-harvested. After a light maceration of the must with the skins in the press, fermentation took place in wooden vats of varying sizes and new, lightly toasted French oak from Nevers. Once alcoholic fermentation was complete, the wine remained in cask for four months with bâtonnage twice per week during the first few months, and then once a day during the final month. Winemaker Isaac Muga. Natural cork. TA 7.95 g/l, pH 3.2, RS 2.24 g/l. Vegan. Very pale. A little bit more like a white wine than a white Rioja at this stage. I suspect it will grow into a much more interesting wine with time. Lemony, fairly long finish. (JR). Drink 2025 - 2030