With this new extension, the Rioja Qualified Designation of Origin now has 148 “Singular Vineyards” in a total surface area of more than 246 hectares.
The “Singular Vineyard” qualification, directly linked to the terroir, is a differentiation tool introduced in 2017 to recognise wines with a unique origin.
Fernando Ezquerro, president of the DOCa Rioja Control Board: “The initiative demonstrates the Designation’s commitment to providing differentiation resources to operators to highlight the specific origin of their product”.
28 July 2023 – A new order of the Spanish Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAPA) recently published in the Official State Gazette (APA/873/2023) recognises 15 new vineyard sites in the Rioja Qualified Designation of Origin with the qualitative distinction of “Singular Vineyard”.
As a result of this fifth ministerial order, Rioja now has 148 ‘Singular Vineyards’ from 90 owners and a total surface area of over 246 hectares. Thus, nine more operators have joined the initiative, demonstrating the sector’s interest in the initiative.
The Control Board of the Rioja Qualified Designation of Origin has been working hand in hand with the Ministry since 2017 on the development of this excellence project, a pioneering initiative in the Spanish wine scene that focuses on the uniqueness of the different terroirs in Rioja, complementing the classification by ageing at a time when blended wines boast high levels of excellence and recognition.
With the new 2017 regulations, the Designation took the step of publicising the specificity of some of its sites individually, thus providing operators with a valuable tool for differentiating the offer. The “Singular Vineyard” designation combines agronomic factors with qualitative aspects that guarantee the outstanding quality of the final product, as well as helping to enhance the value of the terroir and recognise its diversity, ultimately increasing the prestige of the Designation.
The official approval of the first dossiers relating to this figure took place in 2019 and the MAPA has since then carried out annual recognitions, thus consolidating the project launched by the DOCa Rioja.
“This latest development, for the fifth consecutive year, recognising 15 new ‘Viñedos Singulares`, evidences the dynamism of this Designation and the continuous growth of Rioja, in this case, in terms of diversity and quality,” says Fernando Ezquerro, president of the DOCa Rioja Control Board. “The initiative demonstrates the commitment of the Designation to provide differentiating resources to operators in order to highlight the specific origin of their product,” Ezquerro concludes.
Quality requirements and guarantees for ‘Viñedo Singular’ wines
The “Viñedo Singular” qualification is directly linked to the terroir. They were defined as wines from vineyards with a series of unique characteristics and qualitative guarantees, such as being over 35 years old and with yields not exceeding, naturally and by virtue of their naturally limited vigour, 5,000 kg. per hectare in the case of red varieties and 6,922 kg. per hectare in the case of white varieties. At the same time, its processing is limited to 65 litres per 100 kg. of grapes, its cultivation is environmentally friendly and its harvesting is manual.
It should also be noted that the wine made from “Viñedos Singulares” has to undergo a second qualitative tasting, i.e. it is assessed twice: the first time, just after it has been made, and the second time, just before it is marketed, when it must be considered excellent by most of the tasters who assess it.
The back labels that appear on the bottles guarantee the “Viñedo Singular” label and allow consumers to have the certainty and guarantee that all the characteristics described are certified by the Regulatory Council.
