Discovering Isaac Muga, the technical director of Bodegas Muga

Third generation Muga: without a doubt, wine runs through Isaac Muga’s veins. Christened with the same name as his grandfather, the founder of the family wine project in 1932 in the legendary Barrio de la Estación, the center of the Bodegas de Haro (Rioja), he’s currently responsible for the technical direction of Bodegas Muga. Expertise which, on the premise of maintaining tradition, has made one of the oldest and most polished wineries of La Rioja adapt to the changing times and stay ahead.

– The whole family has been involved in the Bodegas Muga project since its beginnings. What’s the secret to staying united on the same goal?

They’ve always brought us up as one and to defend the common good. We’ve seen it at home every day. The relationship between my parents and my uncles has been an example to follow. They’ve always set a good example.

– With the same name as the founder of Bodegas Muga, what quality do you think you’ve inherited from your grandfather? 

Without a doubt perseverance, people skills and the love of our business which is our life.

– Apart from training in different wine-growing areas such as Bordeaux, Alsace, Champagne, Languedoc and Australia, your father Isacín has surely been your great teacher. Which of his pieces of advice has been most useful to you in your work?

“Son, the client is only cheated once so NEVER LET THEM DOWN. Always make quality, quality and more quality. Our motto is to do a little better every day.”

– An essential part of Muga’s work is in the country: of all the vineyards you work on, which is your favorite and why?

This question is a bit difficult for me because I can’t tell you which one is my favorite as each vineyard has its soul. As middle-aged vineyards, I’d say that my favorite vineyard is La Loma in Ollauri, a 20-year-old vineyard which is giving us great success. If we turn to old vineyards, any of Villalba de Rioja is wonderful, but in particular the Los Surcos vineyard is a vineyard I like very much because of its complexity. Although, as you know, for the moment Muga hasn’t decided on wines from particular vineyards since we’ve always believed in coupage.

– 50% of your sales are for exportation. Countries like the US, Canada and the UK open their doors wide to you. What do they like so much about your wines abroad?

I believe we’re honest with what we offer, we give it our all in every wine we make, and if due to the harvest some kind of wine isn’t good, we DON’T sell it. That seriousness has touched our clients. The most beautiful thing a client has ever told us was “I choose Muga because I know I can’t go wrong”. That’s the greatest thing for a winemaker.

– At present, light wines, with minimal intervention, are in fashion. Bearing in mind that one of the keys to Muga wines is found in the wood, how do you combine new tastes without losing the winery’s own identity?

Every day we learn more about wood: the more I learn about wood, the less I know. What we’re very clear about is that long aging makes great wines and that a well-chosen wood has to be a wood which accompanies the wine and rises above it. All these years we’ve been learning about drying times, origins, toasting, aging times… and this has led us to join wood with wine and express its potential. Every winery has to learn every day and change with tastes, but the “twist” we give it is always unmistakable. 

– Haro-Paris-London, that’s how the legend of La Rioja wine began to be created some time ago. Where do you see the opportunities and dangers of the good reputation La Rioja has internationally? 

We have one of the greatest potentials in Spain to make wines of the highest quality and many Rioja wines are part of elite wines worldwide. But at the same time, other wineries “exploit” the good name of Rioja and undo the work and good name other wineries have created. The only method we have in order to fight this difficult situation is to continue selling quality. They’ll never beat us on that. To use our reputation to educate the consumer so they know how to differentiate each “Rioja” product in its proper measure. NOT ALL RIOJAS ARE THE SAME.

– Many wineries make their way into other wine-growing areas. Have you ever considered trying to make wines in another part of the world? If so, what’s the place which most attracts you?

We’ve had many opportunities on the table to get out of Rioja but in the end for some reason or other we’ve never wanted to leave since we consider that our project in Rioja still needs to be completed and we don’t want to divide our forces. Still, like other great Spanish wineries, we wanted to get into Bordeaux and for a time we visited many wineries but we never found the “rare gem” which motivated us. 

In Spain we did make an attempt in Galicia, which in the end didn’t happen, but we still think that fate usually does things very well and if it hasn’t happened it’s for a reason. So we’ll continue to shape the project in Rioja and if something comes up in the future, it will be studied, but we’re not obsessed with this. 

– Of the wines from the winery, which are you most proud of today?

I’ll take advantage to make my usual joke. The wine I’m most proud of is undoubtedly from Muga Crianza “OUR UNIQUE VINO DE PAGO (WINE FROM A SINGLE VINEYARD)” Since it’s the one which “PAGA (PAYS)” the salaries at the end of the month. 

You have to realize that in this sense, we have little competition in this range of wine, of such high quality and volume. Few wineries are capable of offering this quality at this volume and being year after year in the elite of Crianza. Now, joking aside, the wine that I’m perhaps particularly proud of is our Selección Especial. It’s a Reserva which I like to call NEW GENERATION since we’ve opened up a new paradigm of the RIOJA RESERVA TYPE. A fresh, current, lively and high-quality reserve, leaving behind excessively aged, oxidized wines with “tertiary aromas” which many customers eschew nowadays.

– If we have a look on the internet, we see you’re quite active with virtual tastings and explanatory videos. Are social networks a new sales channel for Muga?

Undoubtedly, wineries like us have learned that it’s a new channel which should not be forgotten. It’s true that we must control it so that all channels coexist, but, without a doubt, it’s an immense window onto the world we find ourselves in nowadays. 

Unfortunately, the pandemic we’re experiencing has taught us its usefulness and something that I appreciate very much is that, thanks to this channel, we’ve been able to be close to the customer.

– The truth is that digitization is transforming society.  What do you expect from the fourth generation Muga? 

I think it’s still early since the 4th generation is still a bit young and only the daughters of my cousin Manuel, who seem to be attracted to it, are of working age. But I think it bodes well. Every year in the family we try to hold meetings with the 4th generation to pass on the different tasks of the winery and so they learn to feel it for what it is: theirs. We’ve pruned, harvested, pressed grapes and we hold family meetings to explain the history of their family and where everything came from. It’s very satisfying to see a feeling of pride in their eyes and for that alone it’s worth it. 

– With the pandemic the consumption of wine at home has increased greatly, do you think this is a temporary practice or is it here to stay?

It’s here to stay. In this lockdown, people have taken a liking to opening a bottle at home (like in American movies and series) and to drinking in moderation. They’ve seen that it can be done and it doesn’t affect their work, many people even tell me it helps them relax. I think this pandemic will lead to us partially recovering the tradition of drinking wine at home, as in the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s, when it was common.

– Apart from wine, is there any other passion you dedicate your free time to? Do you find any similarity with what wine gives you?

I dedicate my free time to my young family and to traveling with them. In fact, I met my wife thanks to my trips. Traveling and discovering the world is very similar to wine since the more you travel (try) the more you learn and enrich yourself, it makes you open your mind to be a better person (and winemaker) and improve every day. 

– And finally, could you tell us about the last wine which has pleasantly surprised you?

Well, I’m proud to say that they were Riojas AND NOT RED WINES. In my development and search for a dream I’ve had for years, which is to make a great Blanco de Rioja (which will be released in February 2021, the Flor de Muga Blanco Reserva), I’ve tasted two wines which captivated me: Remírez de Ganuza Blanco Reserva 2010 and Valenciso Blanco 2018. Along with other well-known great white wines from Rioja, I believe that the world is going to discover the immense potential that Rioja has in high-quality white wines and that we’re going to be the new revolution in the sector. 

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