Home News Follow the mess in the DO Ca Rioja

Follow the mess in the DO Ca Rioja

After several years of discussions and separation controversy continues in DO Ca Rioja due to the possible division of this DO. All after a group of wineries from the Rioja Alavesa processed their independence to Europe with a new DO named Arabako Mahastiak - Vineyards of Álava'.

Once the request and processing by the European Union was accepted, the Basque Government authorized it to be marketed temporarily. Today the Regulatory Council of the DOCa. Rioja has agreed in plenary session to file an Appeal for Reversal. In the vote they have obtained the support of 98,4% of the votes cast and the only vote against the association promoting the initiative in question.

The DOCa Rioja asks to stop the Transitory National Protection.

The associations of wineries and winegrowers that make up the Rioja Qualified Denomination of Origin thus renew their position of rejection of this initiative. They also reaffirm their commitment to exhaust all avenues against what they consider to be an illicit use of the goodwill of a world-renowned brand that belongs to an entire sector. It is requested that until the European Commission determines whether or not to approve the Transitional National Protection.

The DOCa Rioja wishes to emphasize to public opinion that the granting of this Transitory National Protection to a new Denomination of Origin is provisional. Everything until the European Commission determines whether or not to give the file the green light, and that on its way to Brussels, the project has come across an extensive dossier of allegations.

Rioja Alavesa Logo
Rioja Alavesa Logo

It is important to add that of the 232 wineries that are located in the Rioja Alavesa territory, not all of them are part of this request for a new DO. Actually, it is currently not known, with certainty, how many would be part of this new Designation of Origin Arabako Mahastiak - Álava vineyards.

All of this has caused Rioja to change the statutes to establish the exclusivity of DO Rioja wineries and winegrowers. This prevents a winery from producing under two denominations or a viticulturist from selling his grapes to Rioja and 'Viñedos de Álava' wineries indistinctly.

 

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