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The prestigious American magazine Wine Spectator has recognised Muga Reserva Selección Especial 2021 as the best wine of 2025, one of its highest annual awards. This red wine shows all the complexity and finesse of classic Rioja.
Serving temperature
Type of wine
Region
Type of barrel
French oak barrels
Type of bottle
Bordeaux-style
Barrel aging time
26 months
Capacity (cl)
75
Muga Reserva Selección Especial 2021 is, according to the prestigious American magazine Wine Spectator, the best wine of 2025. It thus recognises a wine that brings together winemaking excellence, faithfulness to its origin and a strong presence in the international market, within a category that includes wines with a retail price of no more than 40 dollars in the United States.
Muga Reserva Selección Especial 2021 is the result of blending four traditional Rioja varieties: Tempranillo (the main variety), Garnacha, Graciano and Mazuelo. The vineyards are located on the slopes of the Montes Obarenes and Sierra Cantabria, on poor, well-drained soils that provide finesse and structure, reflecting the more Atlantic character of Rioja Alta.
The 2021 vintage was rated as Very Good. With a balanced and fresh profile, it was marked by a long, unhurried growing cycle that encouraged optimal ripening with excellent natural acidity. Selection of low-yielding vineyards and hand harvesting. Fermentation took place with indigenous yeast in oak vats, followed by spontaneous malolactic fermentation in barrel. The wine was then aged for 26 months in French oak barrels selected at the winery's own cooperage. Before bottling, it was fined with fresh egg white and, once bottled, this red wine remained in the winery for a minimum of 18 additional months to refine before being released onto the market.
Founded in 1932, Muga is one of the most established and emblematic wineries in Rioja. Muga Reserva Selección Especial 2021 (D.O.Ca. Rioja) is a perfect match for meat dishes, such as beef chop, as well as charcuterie and all kinds of stews.
It has a deep, intense picota red colour with garnet highlights.
On the nose, it stands out for its great intensity, with predominant notes of wood and spices, clove and cocoa, accompanied by ripe fruit and a balsamic background.
On the palate, it is smooth and round, with a silky and very well-balanced texture. Notes of ripe fruit reappear, along with polished tannins and perfectly integrated acidity that provides harmony and length. The finish is long, elegant and persistent, leaving a spicy and fruity finish that is highly characteristic of the 2021 vintage.
Bodegas Muga is one of the most reliable and recognizable names in Rioja, founded in 1932 by the family that gives it its name: the Muga family, now led by the third generation. Its history began in a modest winery located on a central street in Haro, but in 1970, it inaugurated new facilities in the famous Barrio de la Estación in the same town. Muga is characterized by its commitment to traditional winemaking: gravity racking, egg white fining, and all red wines are made, fermented, and aged in oak (there is no stainless steel in the winery). It is also one of the few Spanish wineries with its own cooperage. However, in the vineyard, it embraces modern technology, monitoring the plants.
It is also distinguished by its mastery of aging, especially long aging, as its red wines exceed the aging times stipulated by the Regulatory Council of the D.O.Ca. Rioja. Its portfolio is divided into two lines: a more classic line with the Muga and Prado Enea range, and a more modern one with Torre Muga and the ‘top’ Aro. These are joined by the new Flor de Muga label, available in white and rosé versions. All of these wines have elegance in their DNA, with outstanding acceptance.
It boasts exceptional vineyards of tempranillo, garnacha, graciano, and mazuelo, located in the valleys of the Oja and Tirón rivers. In these lands, soil and climate come together to offer exceptional conditions for the vine, something the Muga family takes full advantage of to craft their renowned wines.
