EAST COAST PALATE

This wine rocked my world, and subsequently the world of everyone around me (especially my aunt who may have found the love of her life).  This Rioja blend is mostly Tempranillo, but has some Garnacha, Graciano, and Mazuelo to complete the recipe.
At first the aromas were shy and limited to a leathery, earthy, slightly cranberry smell.  Over the course of the next 3 hours this wine evolved into something beautiful.  The tightness of the nose released and out came the cherries, the chocolate, the spicy pepper, and the stoney minerality.  There is a wonderful balance between the acid and the tannins, allowing this blend to drink smooth on its own, or act as a complement to dishes like the peppery gazpacho or the portobella mushrooms.  I really liked this wine and scored it 92 points.  At Mrs. K's it was on special for $35, which is a great price considering a bottle retails for about $28.
For good reason has Muga been recently dubbed the most popular Spanish wine in America.  With a wine as good as this one, they're sure to create fans all around the world.  Take a look at the winery's website at www.bodegasmuga.com.
For those that tend to finish a bottle of wine within an hour, I suggest taking the time to see the contents change.  It is one of the most fascinating aspects of wine, and from time to time we all need to slow down, uncork a couple of bottles, and smell and taste the evolution of new scents and flavors over the course of a few hours. 
I'm now on the hunt for more Muga, does anyone have other Rioja recommendations?  Share the wine love.

When someone calls into your room where you're busy writing and sipping on a Sam Adams.  "Come try this wine," they say, and the night gets a bit better.  This is a 2007 Rioja from Dominius del Marquesado.  With a deep, inviting color, and aromas of strawberries, cherries and leather, I'm into this wine even before I try it.  There is a slight chemical aspect to the smell, like laquer or modeling glue, but it's not enough to ruin the aroma; it just makes the strawberry smell more sythetic, like flavored pancake syrup or a Jolly Rancher rather than fresh fuit.  The wine is medium bodied, not-too-tannic, leathery and very well balanced.  I'd like to see more body, maybe more oak even.  This is an elegant wine that is smooth and ready to drink.