Suckling once again crowns Rioja as Spain’s highest-rated DO

Rioja reaffirms its position as Spain’s most acclaimed appellation, once again dominating the prestigious critic’s Top 100 Wines of Spain list and remaining the only one to achieve the coveted 100-point score.
With 24 wines featured among the 100 best in Spain, Rioja consolidates its status as a global benchmark, showcasing both its quality and diversity through the work of historic wineries and new projects driving the region’s evolution.

The quality of Rioja wines, recognized by critics and consumers alike, has earned another remarkable distinction: it was once again rated as Spain’s top wine region by renowned American critic James Suckling.

In his latest annual report, Top 100 Wines of Spain 2025, Rioja stands out as the appellation with the most entries — 24 in total — in what is widely considered one of the world’s most influential wine rankings.

The DOCa also leads in quality: the only Spanish wine to achieve Suckling’s top score of 100 points is from Rioja — Yjar Rioja 2021 by Telmo Rodríguez. This marks the third consecutive year that the only Spanish wine to achieve a perfect score has come from Rioja.

Additionally, three Rioja wines received 98 points — La Condenada 2023 (Artuke), La Virgen AKA Pagos de Viña Real 2022 (CVNE), and Capellanía 2020 (Marqués de Murrieta) — followed closely by Torre Muga 2021, with 97 points. In total, two Rioja wines rank in Spain’s Top 3, and seven appear in the national Top 20.

This achievement carries special significance in a landmark year for Rioja, as the appellation celebrates its centenary — being the first created in Spain. It is also a testament to Rioja’s remarkable diversity, encompassing both red and white wines across a wide range of styles and ageing categories.

In his report, Suckling highlights the “new energy” driving Spain’s wine scene and its harmony with an “enduring heritage” — a balance that Rioja exemplifies perfectly. The list celebrates both iconic, historic wineries and emerging, avant-garde projects, all united by a shared philosophy of quality, authenticity, and deep respect for the vineyard and its origins.

Suckling notes that when most people think of Spanish wine, Rioja is among the first regions that come to mind, describing it as “the backbone of Spain’s wine culture and heritage.”

To compile the report, a team of more than twenty tasters evaluated nearly 3,500 Spanish wines over the course of the year. Suckling emphasizes that the ranking considers not only technical excellence, but also authenticity, value, and emotional impact. With four decades of experience as a wine critic and journalist, Suckling is today regarded as one of the world’s most influential voices in wine.

DOCa Rioja wines with the highest scores in the ranking