The Regulatory Board of D.O.Ca. Rioja has officially qualified the 2017 as VERY GOOD, and has highlighted the huge effort done by the Rioja wine sector in a complicated year.

The stringent requirements to achieve the rating maintain Rioja as a point of reference for the highest quality, after the tasting of over 4,000 samples.

 

 

The 2017 vintage has brought very good quality results, at the end of a complicated year marked by the frost in April and subsequent drought.

 

A total of 249.57 million litres have been certified by D.O.Ca. Rioja (21.6 white, 12.07 rose and 215.9 red). Mr. Pablo Franco, technical Director of the Regulatory Board, stated that “this year has brought very interesting diversity in the wines, marked in part by the short yields and by a good result in terms of ageing potential. Also, some particular wines have received the highest marks seen in the last few years”.

 

 

The qualification of VERY GOOD is the result of the strict control procedure through analysis and tasting of over 4,000 samples taken directly from deposits by the Board’s technicians.

 

 

The average alcohol content in 2017 is slightly higher than 2016. The technical report that explains the growing cycle of 2017 vintage highlights “the excellent general health of the vines, especially in the last phase of the cycle”. The harvest in 2017 was the earliest one in recorded Rioja history, small in total yield and with very good quality. The good weather at the end of the cycle was important and improved the expectations since the earlier frost and drought.

 

 

The Regulatory Board has also intensified its controls during the whole campaign in order to ensure optimal quality.