Muga 21 consolidates its international leadership by leading the ‘Wine Spectator’ selection

The prestigious North American magazine Wine Spectator has distinguished Muga 2021 as the best wine of the year 2025, one of its highest annual awards, recognizing a reference that combines oenological excellence, fidelity to origin and a solid presence in the international market, within a category that groups together wines whose retail price does not exceed $40 in the United States.

Every year, the editorial team of Wine Spectator identifies those wines that stand out for clearly expressing the character of a denomination or variety, maintaining relevant volumes and wide availability, and optimizing processes in the vineyard and winery without compromising final quality. This selection, named by the publication Wine Value of the Yearplaces Muga 2021 at the top of the list in this editionas the wine that best exemplifies this balance on a global scale.

Made from native varieties—Tempranillo, Garnacha, Mazuelo and Graciano—this wine ferments in oak vats and ages for 24 months in barrels made in the winery’s own cooperage (80% French oak and 20% American), followed by a minimum of 12 months of refining in the bottle. A process that reflects the combination of tradition, technical control and precision that defines the style of the house.

This recognition adds to the solid track record of Bodegas Muga in the North American publication. In 2024, this same publication also recognized the 2020 vintage of this same wine as the best Spanish in the ranking of the 100 best in the world. And in 2025, Aro 2021 has also topped the list of Top Wines (best high-end wines) from Riojawhich included other wines from the winery such as its gran reserva, Prado Enea 2016, or its rosé 2023.

Juan Muga, commercial and marketing director of Bodegas Muga, highlighted that “this recognition by Wine Spectator is enormously satisfying because it highlights a work model based on perseverance, coherence and respect for origin, but also on the ability of our wines to connect with consumers around the world. For us, it is an impulse to continue building a brand in the long term, faithful to the essence of Rioja and the commitment to quality that has always accompanied us.”

Pablo Orio, winemaker at Bodegas Muga, stressed that: “This recognition is a tribute to the work in the vineyard and winerywhich translates into a wine with its own identity and the ability to excite with every sip. “Muga’s 2021 vintage represents the truest expression of our terroir and our vision of Rioja: tradition, precision and a constant commitment to quality.”

With this recognition, Bodegas Muga reaffirms its position as an international benchmark of quality, tradition and consistency within the Rioja Qualified Designation of Originby placing itself at the head of a selection that brings together wines from some of the main producing countries in the world. He Top 10 Wine Values ​​of 2025 of Wine Spectator includes references from France, Italy, New Zealand, Uruguay and the United States, among other origins, which underlines the global dimension of the list and consolidates Muga 2021 as an exponent of Spanish wine capable of competing and leading in a context of maximum international demand.