The prestigious U.S. publication Wine Spectator has distinguished Muga Reserva 2021 as the Best Wine of the Year 2025, one of its highest annual honors, recognizing a wine that brings together enological excellence, fidelity to origin and a strong international market presence, within a category that includes wines priced at no more than $40 at retail in the United States.
Each year, Wine Spectator’s editorial team identifies wines that stand out for clearly expressing the character of an appellation or grape variety, maintaining relevant production volumes and broad availability, and optimizing vineyard and winery processes without compromising final quality. This selection, referred to by the publication as Wine Value of the Year, places Muga Reserva 2021 at the top of the list in this edition, as the wine that best exemplifies this balance on a global scale.
Produced from indigenous grape varieties—Tempranillo, Garnacha, Mazuelo and Graciano—this wine ferments in oak vats and ages for 24 months in barrels crafted in the winery’s own cooperage (80% French oak and 20% American oak), followed by a minimum of 12 months of bottle aging. A process that reflects the combination of tradition, technical control and precision that defines the house style.
This recognition adds to Bodegas Muga’s strong track record with the U.S. publication. In 2024, Wine Spectator also recognized the 2020 vintage of this same wine as the top Spanish wine in its Top 100 Wines of the World ranking. In addition, in 2025, Aro 2021, the winery’s most singular wine, topped the Top Wines of Rioja list, which also included other Bodegas Muga wines such as Prado Enea Gran Reserva 2016 and the Rosado 2023.
According to Juan Muga, Commercial and Marketing Director of Bodegas Muga, “this recognition from Wine Spectator is immensely gratifying, as it validates a way of working based on consistency, coherence and respect for origin, as well as our wines’ ability to connect with consumers around the world. For us, it is a strong incentive to continue building the brand for the long term, remaining faithful to the essence of Rioja and to the commitment to quality that has always defined us.”
Pablo Orio, winemaker at Bodegas Muga, added: “this recognition is a tribute to the work carried out in the vineyard and the winery, resulting in a wine with a clear identity and the ability to move the consumer with every sip. The 2021 vintage of Muga represents the most faithful expression of our terroir and our vision of Rioja: tradition, precision and a constant commitment to quality.”
With this distinction, Bodegas Muga reaffirms its position as an international benchmark for quality, tradition and consistency within the Rioja Qualified Designation of Origin, by leading a selection that brings together wines from some of the world’s leading wine-producing countries. The Top 10 Wine Values of 2025 by Wine Spectator includes wines from France, Italy, New Zealand, Uruguay and the United States, among other origins, underscoring the global scope of the list and consolidating Muga Reserva 2021 as a leading example of Spanish wine capable of competing and excelling in a highly demanding international context.
