Three Class Acts from Haro in NYC, Part two
The two branches of Jorge Muga’s family–one side winemakers, the other, grape growers–can trace their roots to Haro and its surrounding vineyards as far back as the 17th century. ‘The only reason we can’t go back farther,” Jorge says, “is that there was a church fire that burned all the records that went back before the 1600s.”
María de José López de Heredia is about as steeped in her family’s history–and that of Rioja as well–as anyone I’ve ever met. She is a walking encyclopedia of López de Heredia lore and a keeper of the historic style of winemaking that, once considered quaint but rather out of date, is now taking the international wine world wine by storm.
Jesus Madrazo is a fifth-generation member of the Real de Asua winemaking family, which founded and still owns a controlling share of the Compañía Vinícola del Norte de España, a.k.a. CVNE [pronounced COO-neh], based in Haro. Madrazo spent years studying and traveling in Spain and abroad before returning to the Ebro valley in the mid 1990s, to the single vineyard estate begun by his father, José Madrazo, in 1973: Contino, near the town of Laserna in Rioja Alavesa, the third jewel, after Imperial and Viña Real, in CVNE’s crown.
Having been out of touch for al those years he spent away, the younger Madrazo, who had apprenticed with legendary CVNE winemaker Basilio Izquierdo, reached out to his contemporaries, Muga and López de Heredia among them. They quickly formed a tasting group and became close friends.
Today, their tasting group continues, coordinated by Jesus Madrazo, and despite whatever differences they might have in winemaking philosophy or approach to style, you get a sense when you spend some time with them, that there’s great affection and mutual respect there.
They are a joy to be around, so much so that when they do bring their wines to the table, as they did on three occasions at which I was present and tasting, it’s almost like icing on the cake, an afterthought to an already pleasant affair. Still, it’s quite a delicious afterthought.
Next up: The wines
Special thanks to wine writer (and friend) Chris Fleming, who somehow managed to work his way into the inner-sanctum of Madrazo’s winemaker tasting group a little over two years ago, and who has generously shared with me since then not only all of his recorded material but also, even more valuably, his remarkably clear thinking about the region, its wines, and winemakers, at every turn.