DOCa Rioja
WINE AS CULTURE AND EMOTION
The 20th century cannot be understood without the creation of a transcendental institution for Rioja wines. In 1926 the "Consejo Regulador de los vinos en La Rioja" was founded, which came from the old "Asociación de Viticultores Riojanos" established in 1912.
The "Consejo Regulador de los vinos en La Rioja" established the foundations that, even today, characterise and regulate the renowned wines of the "Denominación de Origen Rioja". One of its objectives is to guarantee the origin and quality of the wines. These aims are achieved through the demarcation of production areas, the limitation of grape varieties and the use of specific growing and winemaking techniques.
In the 1980s, quantitative (back labels and seals) and qualitative (vintage classification) controls were introduced to guarantee the quality of Rioja wine for consumers.
LAND OF
VINEYARDS
In 1991 the "Denominación de Origen Rioja" obtained the category of "Calificada". This designation ensures maximum control of the quality of Rioja wines and their sale exclusively in bottles.
The Rioja wine-growing territory stretches along both sides of the Ebro River, bounded by the Demanda and Cantabria mountain ranges. It is a very suitable region for growing vines, with clay-limestone soils in the highlands and clay-ferrous and alluvial soils in the areas close to the rivers.
The climatic conditions are very favourable due to the combination of the Mediterranean climate, typical of the Ebro Valley, and the Atlantic climate, thanks to its proximity to the Cantabrian Sea. This peculiar climatic environment provides mild temperatures throughout the year, stable rainfall and sunny days in summer, appropriate characteristics for the cultivation of vines.
