– The qualification results from the evaluation of 3,531 samples in blind tasting, which means issuing more than 17,600 sensory evaluations
– The wines stand out for their structure and pH, which provide sensations of liveliness and freshness greater than usual, with a good weight in the mouth and with a finish where the sensations of softness and roundness stand out
– The Regulatory Board has also selected the eight institutional wines that will represent it at corporate events throughout this year
The Regulatory Council of the DOCa Rioja qualifies the 2023 harvest as “Very Good” after the plenary session held this morning at its headquarters. This assessment has been ratified by the Plenary after a exhaustive and rigorous analysis process of a total of 3,531 samples.
In line with the high level of demand that the DOCa Rioja applies to its certification processes, Its vintage rating system is also one of the most rigorous in existence, with a tasting panel of 150 professionals. Each of the wine samples is tasted by 5 judges, which means issuing more than 17,600 sensory assessments. The ultimate goal is to seek and be able to To guarantee maximum authenticity to consumers and professionals.
In fact, in this regard, last year saw the culmination of the project to configure the new Tasting Panel of the Regulatory Board, developed by the Institute of Vine and Wine Sciences (ICVV) by which, in addition to implementing within the Denomination a new methodology for sensory quality control for wines, provided greater training and qualifications to the members of the Panel.
Harvest balance
During the plenary session, the harvest was also taken stock, where the wines stand out for having a good point of structure and pH, and provide sensations of liveliness and freshness greater than usual, which makes them more fluid, with a good weight in the mouth and with a finish where the sensations of softness and roundness stand out.
The report prepared by the Technical Services of the DOCa Regulatory Council points to the great relevance that the selection of grapes that has been made in the winery has had, which arouses curiosity about the evolution that these wines will have in their aging and aging that, given the good maturation balance achieved and aromatic definition that they announce at this time, invite optimism.
“The wines are a ‘heroic oenologist’ given the complex climatic situations and the diversity of grapes received in the winery, where a large selection has had to be made in order to carry out an elaboration that seemed ‘capricious’,” explained Pablo Franco, director of the Control Body of the DOCa Regulatory Council in his report.
By colour, red wines stand out for their heterogeneity, with different ranges ranging from raisins or ripe fruit from the first harvests before the rains in Rioja Oriental, to wines with a greater fresh fruit character from the higher areas, “Without a doubt, a very interesting aromatic palette to define Rioja based on its territory and how in that harmony of area and climate a region is enriched by such unique nuances,” Franco points out.
The White wines, which are already in a phase of total consolidation as far as oenological definition is concerned, are about great exponents of the highest quality in this category, achieving very good definitions and an important balance in all its phases. “They are wines that express the varieties of Rioja very well, highlighting in turn those more particular elaborations that seek an expression of their potential in the years to come, once time does its work and helps to assemble and enrich the wine in its aging process, an art that in Rioja is worked to perfection and that stands out greatly in white wines”, Pablo Franco points out.
According to the report, Rosé wines are moving forward on a very interesting path, predominating a Aromatic range less explored to date, where more and more marked floral expressions and lighter colors are observed, accompanied by mouths with good volume and freshness.
For all these reasons, the conclusion is the assessment of the vintage as “Very Good”.
Institutional Wines 2024
The Regulatory Board has also selected in the plenary session held today the eight wines that will represent the Denomination in its institutional acts throughout the year.
In total, 151 wines from 48 wineries in the DOCa have participated in the blind tasting carried out to select the institutional references. The tasting panel was made up of a mixed committee of experts from the sector.
The eight wines chosen are a sign of the great diversity of wine in the Rioja Qualified Designation of Origin and are presented with the Council’s corporate labels, expressly designed for each of the categories.
The final result of the selection in each of the categories has been as follows:
VINO BLANCO GENÉRICO 2023
Bodegas Martínez Lacuesta, S.A. de Haro (La Rioja).
VINO BLANCO FERMENTADO EN BARRICA 2023
Bodegas Paco García, S.L. de Murillo de Río Leza (La Rioja).
VINO ROSADO GENÉRICO 2023
Bodega San Esteban Protomártir, S. Coop. de Murillo de Río Leza (La Rioja)
VINO TINTO GENÉRICO 2023
Sance, S.C. de Baños de Ebro (Álava)
VINO TINTO CRIANZA 2021
Bodegas Marqués de Reinosa, S. Coop. de Autol (La Rioja)
VINO TINTO RESERVA 2020
Bodegas Ramírez, S.L. (Ramírez de la Piscina) de San Vicente de la Sonsierra (La Rioja)
VINO TINTO GRAN RESERVA 2016
Bardinet Wines, S.A.U. (Marqués del Puerto) de Fuenmayor (La Rioja)
VINO ESPUMOSO RESERVA 2019
Bodegas Bilbainas S.A. de Haro (La Rioja)
