The most premium wine from Masaveu Bodegas’ Rioja winery, Veguín de Murua Gran Reserva, has been awarded a Gold Medal at the Decanter World Wine Awards 2021, one of the most influential wine competitions in the world.
Veguín de Murua Gran Reserva 2012 received 95 points in this 18th edition of the DWWA, earning it a Gold Medal. The jury is made up of some of the world’s leading wine tasters and experts, including several Masters of Wine and Master Sommeliers from around the globe.
Veguín de Murua Gran Reserva comes from almost century-old vineyards, hand-harvested and located in the Sierra de Cantabria. This red wine, made with utmost respect for the raw material from Tempranillo, Graciano, and Mazuelo grape varieties, is produced only in exceptional vintages and in limited editions. From this 2012 vintage, rated “very good,” a total of 12,200 bottles were produced.
Special 18,000-liter French oak vats hosted its malolactic fermentation, after which the wine was aged for 30 months in new French and American oak barrels and then rested in the winery’s underground cellars to complete its bottle aging.
With a bright, intense cherry color, it reveals pleasant balsamic notes, along with menthol and spice aromas, offering a powerful, complex, and well-balanced nose. On the palate, it is highly expressive and full-bodied, with remarkably well-integrated oak and a balanced freshness. The finish is lively, long, and delicate.
The winemaker, Mathieu Barrault, states that “Veguín de Murua Gran Reserva represents the commitment and legacy of this winery—the first of the group—in crafting high-quality, distinctive, age-worthy wines. It is a classic wine that truly expresses the terroir from which it originates.”
All of the red wines from this winery achieved scores equal to or above 90 points in the competition. The following three wines were each awarded a Silver Medal: VS Murua 2018 (91 points), Murua Reserva 2014, and M de Murua 2017 (both with 90 points).
Masaveu Wineries, the group to which this winery belongs, received a total of four Bronze Medals, six Silver Medals, and high scores for other brands such as Leda, Fillaboa, and Pagos de Araiz.
Murua Wineries
Bodegas Murua, part of Masaveu Bodegas, is located in the historic town of Elciego, in the very heart of Rioja Alavesa. In a setting of stunning landscapes, the noble main building preserves the structure of the manor houses typical of this area of Rioja Alavesa.
The winery has belonged to the Masaveu family for 47 years, having been originally acquired for private wine production. Years later, the family decided to renovate and expand it commercially, making a strong commitment to quality winemaking.
Currently, Murua produces 220,000 bottles, crafted according to the eco-friendly philosophy and respect for the land that define this winemaking group, which operates across various Geographical Indications in Spain.
Masaveu Wineries
The Masaveu family began investing in the wine sector in 1974, although the family’s vineyard plantations date back to the mid-19th century, specifically in Castellar del Vallés, the family’s place of origin, where Federico Masaveu Rivell took the first steps that his descendants would continue a century later.
Since then, Masaveu Wineries has continued to grow, becoming a benchmark in the wine sector thanks to the quality of its winemaking across different Designations of Origin (DOs), as well as its environmental philosophy and deep respect for the land. Owning its own vineyards allows the group to capture and express the unique personality of each terroir in every bottle. De esta forma, se unen en un denominador común todos y cada uno de los proyectos que embarca Masaveu Bodegas en diferentes partes y regiones del país: Murua (DOCa Rioja), Fillaboa (DO Rías Baixas), Pagos de Araiz (DO Navarra), Leda (Vino de la Tierra de Castilla y León) y Valverán (Asturias).
