Rioja rocks

Spain’s best known premium wine-producing region has been rocked by a small but influential boutique producer leaving the designation of origin. Christian Davis reports

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RIOJA’S POSITION AS Spain’s flagship region is cemented. It represents 35% of Spanish volume and 45% of value. Exports of Rioja were up 38% in the 12 months to April, the same percentage the previous year.

Global Rioja exports were made up of: 46% sin crianza wines, 22.2% crianza, 27.3% reserva and 4.5% gran reserva (Rioja Exports to April 2016). All categories were in growth but crianza and gran reserva showed the highest volume growth in export markets with 2.4% and 5.2% respectively.

The UK is Rioja’s largest export market and 95% of sales are at more than £5, compared to fewer than 50% across the whole Spanish category in the UK (Nielsen MAT to 05.12.15).

So everything should be rosy in the vineyards of Rioja Baja, Alta and Alavesa within the DOCa (Rioja control board – Consejo Regulador Denominación de Origen Calificada Rioja). Sadly, this is not the case.

Earlier this year a highly regarded boutique winery, Bodegas y Viñedos Artadi in Laguardia, part of the Rioja Alavesa sub-region, announced it was leaving the DOCa. In a nutshell, it produces single vineyard wines and does not want to use the all-embracing Rioja designations of Crianza, Reserva and Gran Reserva. The result: it can no longer use the Rioja appellation on its labels.

Artadi managing director Juan Carlos López de Lacalle is quoted as saying: “This is a war about business models. My goal is to produce small amounts of wine that stand out from the competition.”

Apart from that there appear to be political and economic considerations. Wine Spectator’s report on the bust-up said: “Rioja’s three sub-regions belong to two different national jurisdictions, with Alavesa part of the independent-minded Basque province. In June 2015, 120 bodegas in the Alavesa region requested permission to add this indication to their labels and officials in the Basque government have indicated their support. Arguably, the major obstacle is economic. The largest bodegas have built worldwide brands based on the current system. These wines are generally blends of vineyards from all across Rioja, and the bodegas fear they might lose prestige and market share if the region broke itself into smaller appellations.”

UNDENIABLE VALUE

In defence the control board of the DOCa Rioja came out with a strong statement: “First of all, it is regrettable that Artadi has made this decision to the extent that it is unilaterally renouncing to the added value and good will provided by the Designation of Origin, an undeniable value which the winery has participated in throughout its history. Obviously, from now on, its wines will not carry the Rioja name, nor will they be controlled and certified by the control board.

“Aside from what the firm may represent in itself, it is surprising that, after having built up a name thanks to both its own efforts and also undoubtedly to its belonging to Rioja, the same project should suddenly cease to serve its interests. All of this without having ascertained first hand the real motivations that have led to this decision, since the statements made by the firm’s management to both the press and at public forums have never resulted in specific statements identifying the factors that seem to bother them.

“It is also regrettable that the only justification given be veiled criticisms of a wine region whose success, with both mistakes and successes, is undeniable. It does not seem appropriate to claim to have mediated a decision and then proceed to denigrate the designation on which the winery’s track record is based.

“The control board has always been willing to accommodate everyone’s interests. This is well-known by this winery which pioneered the mention of sub-areas in the wines’ indication of origin. As evidenced by the history of the designation, everything is susceptible to evolving, particularly if it is in order to improve.”

The control board’s marketing director Ricardo Aguiriano tells Drinks International: “The topic of single vineyards and village designations is one which is very much on our agenda, and the Consejo is in ongoing conversation with key players and organisations across the region on this subject.

“We are currently considering a number of proposals – clearly any decision on this subject has myriad implications and would not be taken lightly, but we are committed to working with all parties to find the best outcome for Rioja – and one which enhances and is complementary to our existing offer.”

In a wider context there is a move to more designated, terroir-based vineyards among the most premium wine producers.

Master of Wine Tim Atkin in his column in our sister magazine, Harpers, discusses the Spanish condition in terms of its major rivals.

He says: “Italy and France are what we might term top-down… There’s plenty of plonk produced in both –think over-cropped Pinot Grigio and basic Bordeaux rouge – but they benefit from the qualitative halo effect. Spain, on the other hand, is a bottom-up producer, a place where cheapness and value for money (not always the same thing) are its calling cards. The average price of exported Spanish wine is just over €1, one of the lowest in the world.”

Now you would hardly put Rioja in those categories but Atkin does question the role of regulatory bodies, specifically citing Artadi’s decision to leave the DO.

Marqués de Cáceres buys grapes from parcels of vineyards within the Rioja Alta and Rioja Alavesa regions. It says these are tiny vineyards, 0.3-1ha, planted with old vines at altitudes of 400m-550m above sea level from which grapes are hand picked.

Cristina Forner, president of Marqués de Cáceres says: “Reputable bodegas and brands are obliged to invest in the best measures based on defending the highest possible standards of quality. This obligation is vital, as is the selection of terroir, the grapes and the appropriate vinification techniques to create wines that in the end defend Rioja’s reputation on the international scene.

“The Rioja DOCa cannot encompass the philosophy of each and every bodega.

“Only by belonging to the Rioja DOCa is it possible to defend the production of wines from the region’s most prestigious terroirs. Once outside, there is no control and one can legally operate with wines from anywhere. The guarantee of origin would be lost.”

QUIETLY CRITICAL

Grupo La Rioja Alta president Guillermo de Aranzabal Agudo has been quietly critical of the consejo. Formally he prefaces his comments with: “The opportunities are numerous. Rioja has:

a very distinctive style, unique in the world – velvety, elegant, sophisticated, aged wines, versus powerful, fruity, strong wines made in most of the other regions;

a very consistent quality;

an important volume;

and Rioja has several different areas with different wines made. It can please many different consumers.

“Challenges: the main one is the image of a good price/quality region, and not one of the top wine regions in the world. We should work harder to have some wines or wineries in the top world list.”

Asked specifically about the Artadi affair, his considered view is: “The reality is that Rioja is a big area, with many different climates, geographies, styles and grapes and consequently with many different styles and personalities. Just one name for the whole region doesn’t show local or stylistic differences.”

Agudo continues: “The traditional Crianza/Reserva/Gran Reserva is important to maintain because it gives a lot of information about the product to the consumer, but it should be compatible with other mentions to help the customer get even more information.”

Grupo Faustino director of marketing Gerardo Alonso says: “Rioja has always meant a brand of quality and gained its reputation and market thanks to the contribution of many producers under one brand.

“The DOCa is now evolving and understands this is a natural way of development, but it has to be done with the right steps and gathering the agreement of maximum consensus and timing. This is an open market and consumers want to enjoy good quality/value wines regardless of their origin. The consumer is willing to discover and try new things,” adds Alonso.

Christian Barré, CEO Pernod Ricard Winemakers Spain, says: “This controversy should not exist as you can already produce in Rioja DOC wines from specific areas as long as you have full traceability. This can be coupled, or not, with the Crianza, Reserva, and Gran Reserva classification which is still relevant for the region and for consumers.

“It is precisely the diversity of terroirs (Baja, Alta and Alavesa) and ageing regulations that make Rioja`s uniqueness and quality. This should be promoted and any evolution is welcome if it helps to reinforce Rioja quality/brand franchise.”

Chief winemaker for Pernod’s Campo Viejo brand Elena Ardell tells Drinks International she doesn’t think the classifications are out of date. “I think consumers still value them very positively because they are perceived as a guarantee of wine quality. But obviously they need to evolve and, in fact, they are already evolving.

“In Rioja there’s a place for all of us, and I think it is important that all of us are there, because diversity is a strength.

“I don’t agree with the DO being a ‘straightjacket’. Winemakers have always been able to create the wine they wanted – with or without ageing, with more or fewer ageing months – and can still include the Rioja DO generic seal. But, if you want to include Crianza, Reserva or Gran Reserva, it needs to fulfil the required periods already fixed in the regulation,” says Ardell.

Bodegas Torres president Miguel A Torres makes this statesman-like statement about the future for Rioja: “Without any doubt climate change will be the major problem, but global warming affects all wine producers in the world, not only the ones in Rioja.

“On the opportunity side I would like to mention the outstanding worldwide brand recognition that Rioja has. This, of course, helps in today’s wine market that is really a global one.

“But maybe it could be interesting to consider following a model that also allows mentioning, for example, village names and single vineyards, ideas that my good friend Juan Carlos Lopez de la Calle from Artadi proposed.

“But in any event, as we only arrived in Rioja relatively recently, we are actually not in a position to give advice to organisations such as the Consejo Regulador that have an impressive institutional history of many years of success.”

MINOR VARIETIES

Moving on to what is going on in the vineyards, Rioja Alta’s Agudo says: “Some minor varieties are not being planted. Graciano, Mazuelo and even Garnacha are being replaced by Tempranillo. We are making an effort planting Garnacha and Graciano, since we think it would increase the quality and personality of our brands.”

Pernod’s Barré says: “White wines from Rioja are growing with new varieties such as Verdejo and Tempranillo white. Well vinified Viura reach excellent levels of complexity allowing them to compete with other premium international white wine origins.

“Rioja reds are now moving to fresher, fruitier styles and wood is less present or better integrated. The Crianza, Reserva, Gran Reserva classification is an excellent indicator of quality but it’s not the only one and young wines (less than 12 months in oak for reds) are reaching top quality levels.”

Faustino’s Alonso says: “Balance is needed between not compromising on quality in favour of volume-driving strategies. The key trends of the appellation of origin are introducing new grape varieties in order to diversify and keep our identity and distinction.

“The conclusions of the strategic plan 2020 of the wines of Rioja point out that there is an important opportunity of growth in the worldwide white wine market.

“For this reason, in 2007, they added new white grapes: Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Verdejo, white Maturana and white Tempranillo to the list of grapes authorised by the council. Consequently, there is an important above-the-line campaign to improve awareness on this direction,” says Alonso.

Chris Appleby, of Sogrape-owned Bodegas Lan, acknowledges that

there was a lack of understanding in the region the past of the use of oak, leading to heavy, oak-laden wines. He says Lan has been at the forefront of modern winemaking in Rioja, exploring and improving the traditions of

the region.

Appleby says: “Examples of this include studying the effects of oak-ageing on red Rioja wines, being first in the region to use oak barrels made from a combination of American and French oak, and pioneering the use of Russian oak.

“The wines, which are all vinified and aged separately by winemaker Maria Barúa, express the influence of the past with a modern approach.

“A high component of the fruit for Bodegas Lan wines comes from the Lanciano vineyard, which has 72ha under vine, making it one of the largest single estates in the region.”

LOWER ALCOHOL

Sparkling and rosé wines, along with fruit-flavoured wines and lower-alcohol wines, have been accounting for much of the significant growth in the overall wine category. Are Rioja producers looking at those categories?

Pernod’s Barré says: “Sparkling from Rioja will be extremely limited due to grape availability and cost. Additionally, the Rioja DOC should be careful not to confuse consumers by offering too large a portfolio of products which are not really true to the region.

“Rosé is starting to grow on the back of rosé de Provence growth but it is too early to say if it will be a real long-term success or just a temporary one.”

Barré adds: “Lower-alcohol is a global trend and Rioja DOC should be watching and following this trend as there is growing interest from consumers worldwide, taking into account two parameters: to be labelled ‘wine’ it has to be more than 9% and, technically, producing a low-alcohol wine is an everyday challenge due to global warming.”

Viejo’s Ardell says: “For us, the big opportunity is white wine. There have always been white wines in Rioja but the region is best known for its reds and that has been our focus.

“Our main challenge right now is translating our red winemaking knowledge to white wine, to create unique, distinctive wines. We have the tools to do it, thanks to the native grape varieties we can grow and the willingness to make great white wines. The same can be said for pink Rioja.”

Ardell concludes: “I think Rioja has a great future in the global wine market. The main reason is that Rioja makes unique wines, really distinctive, because it has been able to preserve its own style coming from its territory, grape varieties and ageing systems. Nowadays consumers look for different wines and Rioja wines are certainly different.

“Tempranillo has been and still is our star variety – the one that gives genuineness to the wines of our region. There is a strong trend to reinforce the growing of this variety, both in red and white.”

Marqués de Cáceres’ Forner adds: “In the end, we believe that only a brand can protect a philosophy based on rules that by far exceed those of the Rioja DOCa.

“Our brand’s commitment, the terroir, the selection of grapes, the vinification, the age of the barrels, the time spent in bottle at the bodega and keeping stocks of top quality wines to guarantee the quality of our prestige wines towards the future are determining factors in our differentiation.

“Possible faults and flaws within the current system cannot wipe out the efforts and sacrifice of those for whom wine represents their history and an obligation to quality.

“To go against the system would destroy our DOCa’s millennial history. We would first propose to continue developing so as to consolidate.

“Quality wines can exceed all barriers and succeed based on their identity alone.”

So Rioja rocks, one way or t’other.