• The DOCa slightly increased its sales in the domestic market (+0.16%) compared to the previous year and managed to reinforce its market share by more than half a point
• Internationally, Rioja wine exports grew in 7 of its 10 strategic markets, with Belgium (+27.13%), Mexico (+26.13%) and Switzerland (+7.14%) leading the increase
• The negative situation for imported wines in the United Kingdom, together with Rioja’s heavy dependence on this market, is weighing down the Designation’s exports as a whole, which fell by 3% compared to 2021
• Rioja white and rosé wines are consolidating their growth: their sales increased by more than 5% and 10%, respectively, overall in both domestic and international markets

 

 

20 February 2023.- The Rioja Qualified Designation of Origin closes the 2022 financial year maintaining the volume of sales in the domestic market. This translates into a total volume of 148,865,558 litres sold on the domestic market.

 

By categories and colours, in the domestic market, the growth of DOCa Crianza wines stands out, with an increase of 2.62%, as well as the growth of white (5.62%) and rosé wines (1.70%). “Although everything seems to indicate a slowdown in wine sales in our country in the second half of 2022, Rioja has an offer capable of responding to the post-pandemic demand from consumers for greater quality and diversity”, explained Fernando Ezquerro, president of D.O.Ca. Rioja Regulatory Board.

 

 

The DOCa is making steady progress in key markets, despite the complex situation in the United Kingdom

 

Internationally, the behaviour of exports in the different markets is disparate. The Designation’s sales increased in seven out of ten countries identified as strategic, with Belgium and Mexico leading export growth, with +27.13% and +26.13% respectively. At a slower but still positive rate, Rioja exports increased in Switzerland (+7.14%), Sweden (+7.10%), the Netherlands (+6.85%), Germany (+4.86%) and the United States (+0.59%).

 

Despite this positive performance in foreign markets, Rioja sales fell in some of them like Ireland, Canada, Russia, China and in Rioja’s main export market par excellence, the United Kingdom, where the international competition also fell last year. “The United Kingdom represents almost a third of Rioja’s export volume, which means that a decline in this market has a significant impact on Rioja’s export balance as a whole”, explained José Luis Lapuente, general manager of the Regulatory Board of the DOCa Rioja. The total volume of DOCa exports stood at 102,398,928 litres, down 3.11% compared to the previous year.

 

 

Combining the international and domestic markets, the DOCa Rioja sales balance reflects a slight decrease of 1.2% compared to the previous year, with a total of 251,264,486 litres sold in 2022, which translates into 342,995,738 bottles. “The photograph reflects Rioja’s ability to maintain its competitive position in a market context full of uncertainties, or in other words, it once again demonstrates the resilience of our brand”, said Lapuente.

 

 

Rioja rosé wines have experienced double-digit growth: 10.34% in the overall market -foreign and domestic-, with a spectacular performance abroad, achieving a growth of 24.84%. On the other hand, DOCa Rioja white wines have a growth rate of around 6%, both in the domestic market (5.62%) and abroad (5.17%).