NEWS
RIOJA HOSTED CENTENARY ROADSHOW IN HK TO MARK 1OO YEARS OF D.O. STATUS
By Susan Lewis
21-5-2025
Source: Rioja D.O.
The year 2025 marks the 100th anniversary of the Spanish designation of origin (D.O.) for Rioja, representatives from the region are hosting a Centenary Roadshow featuring wine tastings, masterclasses, and live activations around the world.
Cities on the schedule include Hong Kong, New York and London.
The event in Hong Kong included a grand wine tasting with over 50 wineries presenting over 300 wines, showcasing Rioja’s diverse terroir and signature quality.
There was a wine makers’ seminar masterclass highlighting four esteemed wineries from Rioja, including Bilbainas, Manuel Quintano, Paco Garcia and Sonsierra.
The festivities continued into the evening with a media dinner where winemakers and local tastemakers exchanged ideas as Rioja’s wines were paired with Chinese cuisine at the Michelin-recommended Celestial Court Chinese Restaurant.
Since becoming the very first official D.O. in 1925, the region has grown consistently and is now home to 14,000 winegrowers and 600 wineries who contribute 30 percent of the total value of Spain’s premium wine sales, with 320 million bottles sold each year to over 130 countries.
In the ‘60s or ‘70s, there was a sort of second industrial revolution in Rioja. New investors and wine groups arrived in Rioja and developed new facilities, bringing newer technologies.
Then in the ‘80s, the creation of the ageing categories - the Crianza, Reserva, and Gran Reserva - has been a huge milestone because it created that model that has made Rioja successful commercially in the international scene.
(the writer can be contacted at: info@thewinechronicle.com)
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