The May cover of Drinks International read ‘Global wine in crisis’. Alarming data confirmed the dwindling of global wine consumption, yet sparkling remains a shining light. Post-pandemic celebratory moments saw a spike in fizz consumption which has more recently been muffled by global inflation, yet according to Global Market Insights the future looks bright.

“The sparkling wine market was valued at US$290.1bn in 2024 and is predicted to register at a CAGR of 7.5% between 2024 and 2034, due to the steady per capita consumption of sparkling wine around the globe,” reads a report by GMI.

Rioja, one of the world’s most famous still red wine regions, introduced sparkling wines to its regulations in 2017, known as Vino Espumoso de Calidad de Rioja DOCa. The regulatory board allows the use of all recognised grape varieties of Rioja while a sparkling rosé must be 25% red grapes. When it comes to ageing, the structure is similar to vintage champagne. The criteria for generic sparkling rioja wines is 15 months ageing on the lees, while Reserva is 24 months and Gran Anada – a specific ageing category for sparkling rioja – is 36 months and to be vintage-dated it must be hand harvested.

However, these regulation changes are almost a decade old and very few products have hit the market, particularly in the Reserva or Gran Anada categories. Of the 600-plus Rioja producers, just eight currently have a sparkling on the market. According to Raúl Gíl, international marketing & commercial director at Marqués de Cáceres, the major Rioja brands aren’t making sparkling varieties due to “a lack of experience in this category, as well as a lack of raw materials”. Meanwhile for Ramón Bilbao, head winemaker Rodolfo Bastida says: “Historically, sparkling wines have been produced in Rioja under the cava appellation, which is a multi-regional category. “In Ramón Bilbao, they were never made, nor do we have the tradition. The reality is that the current rioja sparkling wine category is focused on long ageing and somewhat removed from the more current tastes for fresher wines. We think it's very niche.

“In the future, we don't know what we'll do, but in the short-to-medium term, we're not considering other options.” Of course cava is the dominant Spanish sparkling wine and while its main region is Penedés in the north east, the DO allows production in other locations, including Rioja, making sparkling rioja’s financial return lamentable in comparison.

PRODUCTION POTENTIAL

For Faustino, the biggest exporter of Gran Reserva, the company already produces a range of cava. Itziar Acedo, international communications & media manager for parent company Familia Martínez Zabala, says: “We do not produce sparkling wines from Rioja. Instead, we make cavas backed by the prestigious Denomination of Origin Cava. Our vineyards, planted in Laguardia around 1980 and under the protection of DO Cava, were among the first in Rioja.

“Years ago, we conducted an extensive market study to assess the potential production of sparkling wines from Rioja and the reception they would have both nationally and internationally. The results showed us that, despite the interest in this type of product, in our case and considering our business objectives it did not provide significant added value.

“Both the DO Cava and the DOCa Rioja are designations we are proud to work with, and what truly sets us apart is the quality and excellence that define all our products. What grants us global prestige is the strength of the Faustino brand.”

For sparkling rioja to gain traction, it’s not necessarily the major players that will make it happen. That being said, Bodegas Bilbaínas, a traditional Rioja producer under the Raventós Codorníu portfolio, has just released 50,000 bottles of Viña Pomal Reserva Blanc de Noirs Rioja 2020 into the UK. Bilbaínas is no stranger to producing sparkling rioja. Lumen is said to be the original brand, founded in 1913, and aft er the new Espumoso ruling in 2017, Bilbaínas was able to officially label it as such. Bilbaínas also has Royal Carlton, which is a blanc de blanc known for using Viura and now Viña Pomal is being positioned as the bodega’s most premium sparkling label.

“The wines from this region have a reputation for being able to age well,” says head winemaker Mayte Calvo de la Banda. “We have Lumen for the younger, fresher style of wine which is better suited to younger consumers, particularly with smaller budgets. Viña Pomal sparkling is also blanc de noir 100% Grenache but will be kept for longer.

“For Lumen it’s about 18-20 months ageing, which sounds a lot but in Rioja it is young. Then we will preserve some of the wine for longer-ageing Reserva, which will be bottled under the Viña Pomal name.

“This has been an eight-year project. Since 2017 we’ve been ageing some sparkling wine in our cellars and disgorging at different times to fully understand the personality of the wines, and even after 60 months it tastes amazing.

“Bruno [Colomer, head winemaker at Codorníu] tasted the wines earlier on in the project and he said they’re amazing and encouraged me to go for it. I don’t think there’s a bigger sparkling wine expert in Spain than Bruno, so it gave me a lot of enthusiasm for this launch.”

Having had regular interactions with Colomer, he has consistently said that good-quality cava also has great ageing potential while retaining acidity. But Calvo de la Banda believes sparkling rioja has unique characteristics that set it aside from cava.

“For me, the fineness of the bubbles from red Grenache is unique, you don’t get it from other varieties and it’s consistent too. It’s closer to champagne than it is cava.

“Even at around 40 months old, you get fresh cherry on the nose, which is sensational for us. The long period on the lees also provides a very rounded mouthfeel and the acidity isn’t bitter or aggressive, it’s soft. Also, due to its age it doesn’t need a lot of sugar.”

Bizarrely, fruitful cava sales are keeping major rioja producers satisfied, without them having to entertain the idea of making sparkling rioja. But for Calvo de la Banda, the category needs help from the DOCa in order to grow. “I think it comes down to a lack of communication,” she adds.

Calvo de la Banda with DI editor Shay Waterworth

“For many years the DOC has been focused on still red wines from Rioja and it feels like we’ve been fighting alone, first with Lumer and now Viña Pomal. But I hope that using the Viña Pomal name will cause disruption and a lot of conversation for sparkling rioja.

“I think there’s a big opportunity in the future because younger consumers want a fresher style of wine, and we can provide that but with the added complexity of ageing.”

It’s true that great cava can come from the Rioja region, and with sales performing well for cava it makes little financial sense for the bigger brands to swap an established international brand such as DO Cava for a younger, less-recognised name like Vino Espumoso de Calidad de Rioja DOCa. Nevertheless, we’re beginning to see evidence of the young category’s quality and therefore a future for sparkling rioja wines – provided they’re communicated and positioned well.