Rioja Named Wine Spectator’s #1 Wine of the Year
New York, NY (December 11, 2020)—Wine Spectator, the world’s leading authority on wine, today announced Marqués de Murrieta Rioja Castillo Ygay Gran Reserva Especial 2010 as the 2020 Wine of the Year. The full Top 10 list is now available on top100.winespectator.com.
Marqués de Murrieta is one of the founding wineries in Rioja, Spain’s premier wine-producing region. Established in the 1850s, it is now owned and run by Vicente Dalmau Cebrián-Sagarriga, who has spent nearly a quarter of a century and more than $30 million restoring and improving the property and its wines. Castilla Ygay is Murrieta’s flagship bottling. Sourced from a 98-acre plot planted in 1950, it is made only in top vintages. The 2010 vintage is Rioja’s best so far this century. This wine is a beautiful example of Rioja’s traditional style, and should drink well for decades. This Rioja also demonstrates how tradition and innovation can work together to deliver great wines.
Following Marqués de Murrieta Rioja Castillo Ygay Gran Reserva Especial 2010 (96 points, $139, 7,500 cases made), Wine Spectator’s Top 10 Wines of 2020 are:
- Aubert | Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast UV Vineyard 2018 | 95 Score | $85 | 993 Cases Made | Sonoma, California
- San Filippo | Brunello di Montalcino Le Lucére 2015 | 97 Score | $90 | 1,300 Cases Made | Tuscany, Italy
- Mayacamas | Cabernet Sauvignon Mount Veeder 2016 | 96 Score | $135 | 1,600 Cases Made | Napa Valley, California
- Domaine de la Vieille Julienne | Châteauneuf-du-Pape Les Trois Sources 2016 | 96 Score | $90 | 2,000 Cases Made | Southern Rhône, France
- Kistler | Chardonnay Russian River Valley Vine Hill Vineyard 2017 | 96 Score | $90 | 1,979 Cases Made | Sonoma, California
- Massolino | Barolo 2016 | 95 Score | $53 | 5,800 Cases Made | Piedmont, Italy
- Bodega Piedra Negra | Chacayes Los Chacayes 2015 | 96 Score | $99 | 3,000 Cases Made | Uco Valley, Argentina
- Beaux Frères | Pinot Noir Ribbon Ridge The Beaux Frères Vineyard 2018 | 95 Score | $95 | 3,088 Cases Made | Willamette Valley, Oregon
- Bollinger | Brut Champagne La Grande Année 2012 | 97 Score | $175 | 850 Cases Imported | Champagne, France
Through blind tastings performed by Wine Spectator’s editors, these 100 bottles were chosen from over 15,000 wines. Selections are based on four criteria: quality (represented by score), value (reflected by price), availability (based on the number of cases made or imported into the U.S.) and, most significantly, the “X-factor”—a compelling story behind the wine.
“This year’s list is a diverse group, ranging from up-and-coming labels and regions to traditional estates exploring new directions,” said Thomas Matthews, Executive Editor, Wine Spectator. “Throughout 2020, the state of wine has remained strong, dynamic and resilient. We are excited to showcase this year’s Top 100 wines, and for our readers to enjoy them.”
There is also be a chance to enter Wine Spectator’s Top 100 Sweepstakes, offering visitors to the online site an opportunity to win one bottle each of the Top 10 wines on this year’s list.
The complete Top 100 list will be available at top100.winespectator.com on December 14 and in print in the magazine’s December issue, on newsstands beginning December 21.
About Wine Spectator
Wine Spectator is the world’s leading authority on wine. Anchored by Wine Spectator magazine, a print publication that reaches around 3 million readers worldwide, the brand also encompasses the Web’s most comprehensive wine site (WineSpectator.com), mobile platforms and a series of signature events. Wine Spectator examines the world of wine from the vineyard to the table, exploring wine’s role in contemporary culture and delivering expert reviews of more than 15,000 wines each year. Parent company M. Shanken Communications, Inc., also publishes Cigar Aficionado, Whisky Advocate, Market Watch, Shanken News Daily and Shanken’s Impact Newsletter.
