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The Rioja DOCa has taken another step in its process of modernizing its wine regulations as well as allowing for more information, particularly involving geographical indications, on the labels of its finest wines. This process came to light last June when the Consejo Regulador de la Denominación de Origen Rioja approved wines of Viñedos Singulares, effectively allowing the wines of the region to be labeled with the name of a specific (“singular”) vineyard.
As of August 11 (2017), another change has been confirmed with the approval of the use of specific pueblo (village) names as well. Wines produced from the grapes of a specific village will be known as Vinos de Pueblo. Vinos de Pueblo will be required to be labeled under a unique brand name to differentiate them from a producer’s standard Rioja DOCa wines. According to the Drinks Business website, the first three villages to be approved for use as Vinos de Pueblo are Samaniego, San Vicente, and Haro.
In addition, the sub-zones of the Rioja DOCa, well-known to wine students as the Rioja Alta, Rioja Alavesa, and Rioja Baja, will now be known as simply “zones” (zonas). The standards for the use of a zone-indication on a wine label have also been loosened a bit—a minimum of 85% of the grapes are now required to be grown in the specified zone.
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In summary, the wines of the Rioja DOCa are now allowed to labeled with the following geographic information:
- Specific zone (Rioja Alta, Rioja Alavesa, Rioja Baja)
- Approved single estate/vineyard (Viñedo Singular)
- Specific village (Vinos de Pueblo)— Samaniego, San Vicente, or Haro
Click here for a nice infographic representing the hierarchy of these new categories: La Nueva Clasificacion de Vinos de Rioja
As of the August changes, Quality Sparkling Wines are now approved for production under the Rioja DOCa, with details on production requirements to follow. And…the changes are still coming, as a revision in the definition for the use of the aging terms Reserva and Gran Reserva is scheduled to come into effect in early 2019.
References/for more information:
- http://es.riojawine.com/es/20-noticias/4997-los-vinos-de-pueblo-y-los-de-zona-completan-la-renovacion-del-actual-sistema-de-rioja.html
- https://www.thedrinksbusiness.com/2017/08/rioja-finally-allows-village-labelling-on-bottles/
- http://www.wineindustryadvisor.com/2017/08/11/vinos-de-pueblo-de-zona-rioja-renovation
Post authored by Jane A. Nickles, CSE, CWE – your blog administrator
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