A three-day celebration in Logroño and Briones brought Rioja’s centenary year to a close, gathering more than 70 international delegates alongside guests from across Spain. Winery visits, extensive tastings and a grand dinner at the Vivanco Museum of Wine Culture showcased a region whose wines now span a striking range of styles and origins.
The event’s optimistic mood was reflected in the outlook of Raquel Pérez Cuevas, the first woman to lead Rioja’s Consejo Regulador. Established in 1925, the denomination is celebrating a century of history while considering how best to define its future. Among those taking part were winemakers Telmo Rodríguez and Álvaro Palacios, once regarded as outsiders but now conspicuous supporters of Rioja’s evolving identity.
At the closing dinner, 16 winemakers presented wines in the museum, whose collection includes works by Dalí, Miró, Gris and Picasso. Earlier, guests had tasted a selection of 100 wines chosen to illustrate contemporary Rioja. A further tutored tasting of 26 wines set modern interpretations alongside historic examples.
The contemporary selection ranged widely: high-altitude Viura, rediscovered grape varieties, wines from newer geographical indications, multi-vintage bottlings and revived traditional styles. The historic wines demonstrated Rioja’s capacity to age, with landmarks including Marqués de Riscal 1956, Faustino I 1964, Castillo de Ygay Blanco 1986, CVNE Imperial 2001 and Viña Tondonia 2004.
The scale of the region is considerable: 328 million bottles, 586 wineries and 66,639 hectares of vineyards, with 43 percent of production exported. Rioja also has more than 13,000 growers and 1.3 million barrels. Nine white grape varieties are now permitted, offering alternatives to Tempranillo’s long-standing dominance.
Rioja’s history has been shaped by its inland geography, the arrival of railways and the influence of Bordeaux after phylloxera. The region received its DO in 1925 and became Spain’s first DOCa in 1991. Its political divisions between the Basque Alavesa and the Castilian Alta and Oriental zones remain significant, as do debates over the role of large brands and smaller growers.
For generations, Rioja’s hierarchy was defined chiefly by time in barrel—crianza, reserva and gran reserva—with the origin of the grapes taking a secondary role. That system has favored larger producers able to source widely and blend across sites. The tension between aging-led classification and the growing emphasis on place is now central to Rioja’s efforts to renew its identity.
The debate intensified in 2015, when Artadi left the denomination. In response, Rioja introduced geographical designations including Vino de Zona, Vino de Pueblo and Viñedo Singular. These categories can sit alongside the traditional aging terms, but their significance is still developing. There are currently 162 Viñedo Singular wines, covering only 25 hectares, and the village-based system has yet to acquire the recognition seen in Burgundy.
Álvaro Palacios has argued that Rioja could follow Priorat’s example and build a clearer village hierarchy. Artadi’s Juan Carlos López de Lacalle and Telmo Rodríguez likewise believe villages should sit at the center of Rioja’s story. Rodríguez sees a need to move beyond a traditional model that, in his view, contributed to oversupply and the discounting of gran reservas. He remains hopeful about the Consejo’s renewed direction and wants consumers eventually to recognize individual Rioja villages as readily as they do appellations such as Cornas and Hermitage.
Traditional producers also see room for change. Victor Urrutia of CVNE worries about the divide between marketing-led brands and quality-focused houses, while Mercedes López de Heredia emphasizes that her family was making high-quality Tempranillo long before the denomination existed. Guillermo de Aranzabal of La Rioja Alta describes a balance between continuity and measured evolution: following trends without being ruled by fashions, and allowing wines to develop while preserving their identity.
At Ramón Bilbao, Rosana Lisa Oliva sees the next century as a chance to bring heritage together with contemporary methods, including the use of concrete, amphorae and egg-shaped vessels. Across these different viewpoints, the shared conviction is that Rioja’s diversity is both its strength and its challenge. As Pedro Ballesteros MW put it, Rioja is “100km of diversity”—a mosaic whose full character is still being defined.
Tasting highlights
Traditional
- 2022 Remelluri Blanco Crianza Field Blend — 95 points. A generous, textured white with quince, beeswax and honeysuckle, balanced by lively acidity and layers of mint, hazelnut and guava.
- 1986 Castillo de Ygay Marqués de Murrieta Blanco Gran Reserva — 96 points. A mature, bronze-hued wine with caramel, honey and walnut notes, lifted by fine acidity and a persistent, graceful finish.
- 2001 CVNE Imperial Gran Reserva — 97 points. Wild strawberry, forest-floor and bergamot aromas lead into a complex, structured palate supported by refreshing acidity.
- 1964 Faustino I Gran Reserva — 93 points. A mature, amber wine showing autumn herbs, white pepper, cacao and toffee, with remarkable delicacy for its age.
- 1956 Marqués de Riscal Reserva — 95 points. Fragile and ethereal, with a soft tawny color, restrained leafy aromas and a delicate finish.
- 2004 López de Heredia Viña Tondonia Reserva — 96 points. Tobacco, mushroom and dark-fruit notes are framed by taut acidity and a layered, composed palate.
- 2021 Marqués de Cáceres Gaudium Reserva — 94 points. Concentrated Tempranillo with smoky, savory intensity, oak structure and a poised finish.
- 2011 La Rioja Alta Gran Reserva 890 — 96 points. Velvety and richly layered, with mature strawberry, blueberry and sloe, supported by spice and a long finish.
- 2018 Marqués de Vargas Hacienda Pradolagar — 92–93 points. A powerful, brooding Viñedo Singular with tight tannins and distinctive black tea and licorice notes.
- 2019 Bodegas Valcuerna Valcuerna Clarete — 93 points. An amber-hued revival of traditional whole-bunch maceration, with summer flowers, mountain herbs and a soft, lingering palate.
Modern
- 2023 Bodegas y Viñedos Pujanza Añadas Frías — 93 points. High-altitude Viura balancing lavender and grapefruit freshness with a denser, savory character.
- 2018 Remírez de Ganuza Olaga Gran Reserva — 95 points. An elegant, complex oaked Viura with polish, salinity and depth.
- 2016 Contador — 94 points. Deep, powerful Tempranillo with blackberry, sloe and dark chocolate, still held firmly by French oak.
- 2020 Yzar Finca Allende Rosado — 93 points. A substantial Garnacha rosé combining red fruit with savory depth and herbal notes.
- 2020 Bodegas Ramón Bilbao Finca Valhonta — 94 points. High-altitude Tempranillo shaped by Atlantic influence, with herbs, dark fruit, chocolate and tobacco.
- 2021 Bodegas Paco García El Mirón del Humilladero — 95 points. Aromatic Garnacha with black cherry, blueberry, violet and mint, supported by finely woven tannins.
- 2010 Bodegas Muga Aro — 94 points. A concentrated, structured wine whose herbal Graciano character and dark fruit are framed by French oak and terracotta aging.
- Bodegas Santalba Veinticinco Vendimias, non-vintage — 94 points. A multi-vintage Tempranillo blending fruit and savory spice with fine tannins and a long, enigmatic finish.
- 2022 Bodega Miguel Merino La Loma — 92–94 points. A substantial Alta-zone wine from old vines, combining cassis and bilberry with firm tannins and clear aging potential.
- 2010 Bodegas Roda Cirsion — 94 points. A bright, pure Tempranillo with red fruit, fig, dark chocolate and eucalyptus, showing savory complexity and an almost weightless finish.