Aro 2004.
The Aro Project
At the end of the 80’s the Muga family started to think about making special elaborations having in mind the international markets. This objective involved the making of full-bodied wines, more powerful but without losing the elegance and complexity which have always been present in the wines from Muga. This way Torre Muga 1991 was born with a terrific impact in the domestic and export markets. After two not especially favourable vintages, in 1994 a new Torre Muga is released, it is more complex thanks to the obtained experience. The following Torre Muga improve in terms of complexity and elegance...1995, 1996 & 1998. On each new wine, the standards of quality are improved and the vineyards selection is more complex and demanding.
In 1998 the Muga family acquires some old vineyards in order to increase the possibilities of grape selection.
On our way in the search of excellence we noticed that we should select very small quantities of grapes and that the size of the fermentation vats was excessively large. This was the reason why we began to change all the dimensions of some sections of the winery to be able to process small quantities of superb quality grapes.
In 1999 we began the construction of small oak vats with the adequate size for the quantities we were selecting. In the vintage 2000 half of the new oak vats were finished and for the very first time each of the small batches compounding Torre Muga was fermented separately. The result of this experience was absolutely surprising: the diversity of characters and hints within the characters, opened us an enormous range of possibilities. After many years of work in the same vineyards we got to understand that there is still a lot to learn; on the one hand we discovered supposed quality grapes that were being blended in a vat that made them unnoticed, on the other hand, the most surprising discovery was to find some areas within the vineyards with huge differences: wines of unexpected power, surprising aromas and with an outstanding complexity. The result could not be better, a Torre Muga 2000 definitely improved…and something more.
During the ripening tests for the Torre Muga grapes we usually select those stocks with a special potential in order to pick vine shoots to graft in the new vineyards. This was the origin of this project: What about making a wine with grapes from the oldest vineyards but only with potentially perfect plants? We named this idea ARO, a tribute (without “H”) to the Rioja Wine capital.
The old vineyards are theoretically the best ones. Although sometimes due to different reasons -not very deep soil, sanitary problems, weather problems, accidents while growing, etc- a big amount of plants show some problems which interfere with a perfect grape ripening, despite these sort of problems are not visible quite often.
ARO is therefore made from vineyards older than 60 years old with a plant by plant selection. The selection criteria have been:
- S, S-E slopes of river Oja valley
- Deep soils: In the same vineyard deepness may vary in a very important way.
- Earth texture: high content of clay.
- Canopy aspect.
- Lack of diseases.
- And the most important one: grape tasting. All vines for making this wine have been tasted.
Bodegas Muga has spent many years studying the Graciano variety with very positive results. This is one of the most difficult varieties to grow although it is the perfect complement to the Tempranillo and this is the reason why the Graciano means up to 30% of the final blend.
The rest is a careful elaboration based on the minimum intervention with an absolute respect in the land vocation:
- Fermentation in small capacity oak vats.
- No yeast addition. The autochthonous yeast will make the fermentation.
- No temperature control. The fermentation dynamics is completely natural.
- Devatting to new barrels where the fermentation is finished.
- Battonage of the fine lees during three months.
- Malolactic fermentation in the same barrels during the spring of the following year.
Ageing
The barrels have been made in the winery for more than thirty years. As result of the control we have over all the manufacturing process, we can guarantee the maximum quality. This involves the following tasks:
- Origin control: Bodegas Muga buys the wood from the origin.
- Curing Control: We have outdoor drying yards.
- Manufacturing Control: The winemaker inspects all the barrels to guarantee the absence of bubbles or other defects.
- Toasting Control: It is one of the most important issues. An adequate toasting of the oak, made by experts and tailored to wines potentiality will contribute in a decisive way to the final quality.
The oak we are using for comes from Tronçais forest, being exceptionally fine and the staves have been selected one by one. It is cured for two years. The toasting is not very intense but for a long time, which improves the oak influence. Time of ageing in oak is 18 months.
Bottling
After the ageing the wine is lightly clarified and it is bottled without filtering.
The cork used for ARO is one of the most expensive in the world. The cork selection has been a huge effort, in order to guarantee an exceptional closing and the best keeping.
Tasting
Elegant red colour with violet hues which hint at a well preserved youthfulness. In the aroma there is a subtle mingling of fruit nuances of ripe red berries with hints of spices. This aroma is intense, clean and subtle. On the palate it has lots of flavour, with an elegant attack, evolving into a meaty mouth-feel. Its powerful, though modulated tannins carry the wine onwards into a long, promising finish. A complex, supple, enjoyable wine with excellent potency.