Rioja, the highest-grossing designation of origin in Spain, will celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2025. To honor the history of the appellation, the Regulatory Council of DOCa Rioja will hold around 30 events in Spain and the main export countries. Additionally, a new marketing campaign has been launched. Particularly important in the development of the region was the first regulation of 1928 and the introduction of the wine categories Joven, Crianza, Reserva, and Gran Reserva in 1980. These were later adopted by many other Spanish wine regions.
Another significant moment in its development was the so-called “White Revolution” between 2008 and 2009, when the authorities allowed six new white grape varieties. This gave the wines of the region more complexity and increased their competitiveness. Today, Rioja is the second-largest white wine region in Spain and sold more than 36 million bottles of white wine in 2024. Recent developments also include the protection of the “quality sparkling wines” of Rioja and the introduction of single vineyard and local wines in 2017.
Wine tourism is also of great importance. In 2024, nearly 900,000 guests visited the region. With an estimated annual revenue of 1.5 billion euros, Rioja is currently considered one of the pillars of the Spanish wine economy. “The D.O.C.a Rioja significantly contributes to the social and economic development of the region. It is supported by 14,000 winemakers and more than 600 wineries and has paved the way for the success of other designations of origin in international markets, which positively impacts wine from Spain overall,” emphasized José Luis Lapuente, the General Director of the Regulatory Council.
Despite the global challenges facing the wine industry, Rioja DOCa was able to increase its global sales by 0.63 percent, demonstrating a stable positioning.
(ru / Press Release)
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