Bodegas Muga’s 2021 Rioja Selección Especial is a Reserva-level red drawn from Rioja Alta and built around the region’s classic quartet of Tempranillo, Garnacha, Graciano and Mazuelo. It’s made in a notably traditional style for a leading modern estate: Robert Parker’s *Wine Advocate* (Luis Gutiérrez) notes fermentation “in oak vats with moderate extraction,” followed by 26 months in French oak barrels made by Muga’s own coopers, with racking “every eight to nine months,” and bottling in April 2024 after fining with egg whites. Alcohol is 14.5%, and the winery produced 290,000 bottles.

The top reviews are excellent, led by 95-point scores from multiple critics. Gutiérrez (95 points) calls it Muga’s “most gastronomical red,” praising 2021 as “a year that was not easy but produced vibrant wines with lots of freshness and a combination of power and elegance.” He adds that it’s “very tasty, savory and almost salty,” with “fine-grained tannins,” and describes it as “a traditional Rioja with a bit of rock and roll.”

James Suckling (95 points) emphasizes clarity and restraint, describing it as “fresh, plush but restrained,” with “blackberries, cedar, graphite, pine, cocoa powder and incense,” and “polished tannins” with a “structured and caressing” finish. Jeb Dunnuck (95 points) likewise frames it as “an exceptional wine from an exceptional vintage,” highlighting “gorgeous red and black berry fruit with citrus undertones,” plus “nuanced baking spice, dried herb, and lavender,” and recommends aging “15–20 years.” Vinous (94 points) underscores the vintage’s poise, citing “delicate balsamic hints,” a “chalky grip,” and “long, savory flavor,” where “delicacy, energy and juiciness are kept in balanced interplay.” Wine Spectator (93 points) finds it “a lovely red,” with “creamy-edged, muscular tannins,” notes of “iron, sweet paprika…mocha, and anise,” and a long finish with “refreshing sapidity.”