The 7 Best Red Wines From Rioja to Buy Right Now in 2026
Bodegas Muga, Faustino, Cuentavinas
Even those who love a great glass of Rioja may struggle to tell you that most of the region’s wines are a blend of Tempranillo, Graciano, and Mazuelo. Tempranillo accounts for almost 90 percent of the red grapes grown in the region and brings essential flavors of cassis, black raspberry, and plum along with terrific ageability. Graciano adds aroma and structure and Mazuelo rounds things out with juicy fruit flavors and a hint of spice. Winemakers are also crafting single-varietal selections from these three grapes and from Maturana Tinta and Garnacha (Grenache) as well. It may also surprise most people to learn that until the end of the 19th century a higher percentage of Rioja’s vineyards were planted with white varieties than with red. But when phylloxera hit France and winemakers from Bordeaux headed south to Rioja to make wine the focus shifted from making white to red specifically for the export market. This arrangement worked well until the vine-killing louse made its way from Bordeaux to Rioja and destroyed the vineyards there, which upended the region’s industry for decades.
Until the last decade or so wines from Rioja were considered old fashioned, too traditional, or even “fusty” by some experts but as modern tastes have changed, Rioja has upped its game and begun to offer lighter, fresher, and less traditional reds. The game changer was a move to fermentation in stainless-steel tanks or neutral wood barrels, which imparted fewer oak characteristics to the wines. Bottles from Rioja account for around 25 percent of all the wine imported into the U.S. market from Spain and are relatively easy to find at shops and restaurants with inclusive international lists. Here are the seven best Riojas to buy right now.
-
Remirez de Ganuza 2017 Rioja Reserva Rioja Spain
Image Credit: Remirez de Ganuza Remirez de Ganuza was founded in 1989 in Samaniego, Alava in Rioja. The bodega has 197 acres of estate-owned vines and long-term contracts with more than 70 grape growers located in Samaniego, Elvillar, Laguardia, Navaridas, Elciego, Leza, Labastida, San Vincente de la Sonsierra, and Avalos. The 2017 Reserva has delightful aromas of cherry, vanilla, red raspberry, and cassis and flavors of ripe red and black fruits with touches of finely grated white pepper, and just a touch of smoke in the finish.
-
Bodegas Muga 2019 Prado Enea Gran Reserva
Image Credit: Bodegas Muga Aurora Caño and Isaac Muga founded Bodegas Muga in 1932 in Haro’s historic Barrio de La Estacion and today the family sources grapes from high-altitude plots in the Rioja Alta region. Muga is well known for their very traditional Riojan wines, but their Prado Enea is made in a slightly lighter style. Grapes are fermented in oak vats for about two weeks, and the resulting wine is aged for three years in American and French oak barrels. After bottling the wines are aged for an additional three years in bottle. The 2019 has aromas of licorice, cassis, black raspberry, cedar, and mocha with silky tannins and flavors of sweet baking spices, ripe dark fruits, and a touch of dark chocolate in the finish.
-
Bodegas Benjamin Rothschild and Vega Sicilia 2020 Macán
Image Credit: Bodegas Benjamin Rothschild Macán is a joint project between Compagnie Vinicole Edmond de Rothschild (featuring Benjamin Rothschild) and Tempos Vega Sicilia. Together, the collaboration of these two impressive companies has created one of Rioja’s newest and most exciting wines. The 2020 Macán is powerful and impressive but maintains a sense of restraint and elegance. It has aromas of ripe red and black fruits with lifted notes of dried Mediterranean herbs and flavors of cassis, blackberry, red raspberry, mocha, and black licorice. Drink now or hold for 15 or so years.
-
Cuentavinas 2021 Rioja CDVIN
Image Credit: Cuentavinas Eduardo Eguren and his wife Carlota González began Cuentaviñas as a passion project to showcase the amazing terroir in which they grow their grapes. The name cuentaviñas refers to the Spanish expression loosely translated as the “telling the story of the vines.” This 100 percent Garnacha wine has aromas of red raspberry, orange pith, black currant, plum, and vanilla with silky tannins and flavors of dried Mediterranean herbs, white pepper, black plum, and red cherry.
-
Faustino 2004 Gran Reserva
Image Credit: Faustino Bodegas Faustino has been making some of Spain’s most recognizable bottles of Rioja for more than 160 years. They are currently in their fourth generation and run by the Familia Martinez Zabala. Their Faustino I Gran Reserva has been their flagship wine for over 60 years and is now distributed all over the world. It has aromas of tobacco leaf, bright red raspberry, cherry, and licorice root. Full bodied in the mouth, it has delicious flavors of ripe red fruit, plum, blackberry, and cherry with a burst of bright acidity in the finish.
-
Finca Valpiedra 2019 Petra de Valpiedra
Image Credit: Finca Valpiedra Finca Valpiedra is one of Familia Martinez Bujanda’s flagship properties. It boasts more than 195 acres of vineyards situated on a large bend in the Ebro River. Altitudes range between 1,332 and 1,400 feet, offering cool breezes at night that allow the grapes to reach phenolic maturity. This delightful 100 percent Garnacha wine has aromas of vanilla, oak, caramel, red plum, and raspberry with soft, supporting tannins and flavors of blackberry, plum, and cassis.
-
Sierra Cantabria 2023 Finca El Bosque
Image Credit: Sierra Cantabria The Eguren family has been making wine since 1870 and is currently in its fifth generation. The family’s Finca El Bosque is one of their premier plots—it was planted in 1973 and is currently farmed using only organic methods. It has gravel and pebbles on the surface that afford excellent drainage over clay soils that retain water deeper down. The 2023 wine made from grapes grown in this plot has enticing aromas of dark cherry, plum, and vanilla and flavors of cassis, dark chocolate, black raspberry, and finely ground black pepper.
