Brits love Rioja – they’re recognisable, affordable, easy to purchase, delicious to drink, and great with foods all year round. While Tempranillo is a core mainstay for Rioja, there’s so much more to the wines from this region, with winemakers working hard to develop more innovative premium wines at all price levels.

It’s December 2020 and I’m holding in my hands a Rioja whose vintage bears the same year. And it’s one of the brightest, freshest, easiest to drink wines I’ve had since moving to the area.

The 2019 harvest in the Rioja DOCa saw approximately 385m kg of grapes harvested, of which 342m kg were red.

Rioja’s DO (The Consejo Regulador de Rioja DOCa) has launched its new brand identity.

The Denominación de Origen Calificada Rioja has announced growth in its foreign markets across 130 countries.

The Consejo Regulador de la DOCa Rioja has submitted to pressure and brought in new designations for smaller producers and individual vineyard owners.

The DOCa Rioja Control Board has launched an official Rioja Wine Educators programme worldwide.

Rioja producer Ramón Bilbao has bought what it describes as a “dream parcel” of vines in the region, and the winery’s highest altitude owned vineyard to date.

Rioja has never had it so good, says Adam Lechmere, and its producers plan to keep it that way by upping its image