Prado Enea Gran Reserva Muga Rioja Magnum 2015

Prado Enea Gran Reserva Muga Magnum, Rioja, Spain, 2015    

Grapes: 80% Tempranillo, 20% Grenache, Mazuelo (Carignan) and Graciano grown on clay-limestone and alluvial soils at an altitude of 550 metres.

The grapes for Prado Enea are always the last to be harvested. This is because of the careful selection of high-altitude plots with a fine quality, located in the north-west of the Rioja Alta, in the villages of Sajazarra, Cellorigo and Fonzaleche. The grapes ferment in oak vats with no addition of yeast or temperature control. The maceration period is for 16 days. This is followed by a minimum 36 months in French and American oak casks. At the end of the cask ageing the wine is lightly fined with egg whites before bottling and is then stored in our cellars for at least another 36 months, in order to complete the ageing process.

This Gran Reserva Prado Enea displays an attractive, deep, dense cherry-red colour.

A stylish nose of black fruits mingling with spices, gingerbread and liquorice. The soft, supple entry on the palate leads to a sensation of gentle power and air-light volume underpinned by cashmere silky tannins, harmoniously balanced by fresh acidity. Creamy, vanilla notes come through in the finish with ripe fruit. This wine is tempting to drink now, but it will age well for years.

Critic's Tasting Notes:

"The most classical of their wines, the 2015 Prado Enea Gran Reserva is a blend of Tempranillo, Garnacha, Mazuelo and Graciano, mostly from Rioja Alta (Sajazarra, Cellorigo and Fonzaleche), but the Garnacha is from different plots in the zone of Tudelilla at high altitude. These grapes are always picked last, but the wine has a similar alcohol level as the rest, around 14.5% in a warm year like 2019. The modus operandi is similar to other of the top cuvées—harvested into 200-kilogram boxes, destemming, optical sorting and fermentation in small oak casks with indigenous yeasts. The élevage in this case is extended to 36 months, and the barrels are only 10% new. This is, year in, year out, my favorite wine from Muga, and in this powerful and ripe year, these late-harvesting vines ripened thoroughly and delivered a full array of aromas and flavors so that the wine has plenty of depth and complexity. It has a very classical profile, with incipient tertiary notes, perfumed, floral and rich, textured and beautifully balanced. They compare this 2015 with 2009 and 2005 in terms of style but with freshness in the style of 2001 and 2010. It's enjoyable but should also develop for a long time in bottle. One of the finest Prado Enea vintages."

97/100 points, Luis Gutierrez, Wine Advocate, July 2022

"Colour: dark-red cherry, garnet rim; Aroma: ripe fruit, fruit preserve, aged wood nuances, tobacco, sweet spices; Flavour: spicy, round tannins, long;"

95/100 points, "Guia Penin" (Spain), May 2022

This wine pairs well with casseroles, meat dishes (particularly roast lamb), fish and cheese; and it can even be enjoyed on its own, without any accompaniment.