Wine Finds: Elegant Rosé from Spain’s Rioja

Rioja, located in north central Spain, is the country’s most famous red wine region. So, it makes perfect sense that it’s also home to delicious rosés (rosados in Spanish) that are made mostly or totally from red grapes. One of my favorites is from Rioja’s prestigious Bodegas Muga, which was founded in 1932 by Isaac Muga and Aurora Caño. The Muga rosé is compared below with a very different style of wine made by Bodegas y Viñedos Ponce from the lesser-known region of Manchuela, southeast of Madrid and inland from the coastal city of Valencia.

Bodegas Muga 2021 Rosé, Rioja, Spain – Buy USA

Description • Elegant, complex and simply delicious, this wine consistently wins scores in the 90s from critics. A shimmering pale salmon Provençal color, the 2021 vintage is a blend of mostly garnacha with some of the white grape viura. Light- to medium-bodied, it has an inviting floral aroma and tastes of subtle red berries and stone fruit with a touch of vanilla and bakery spice. It ends with a long, refreshing citrusy finish. It makes for a lovely aperitif wine or a pair with seafood pasta or paella.