Annual report

2019: changing times for Rioja

In its 80 pages, the Regulatory Board’s 2019 Report outlines in its first section the entity’s structure and operations, presents a summary of the most important agreements reached by the plenary session and explains how the economic resources used to finance the Board are assigned. Below appear the functions and activities of the following Departments that make up the body: Administrative Services, Legal Advice, the Marketing and Communication Department and the Control Body. In addition to a summary of the promotional activities conducted by the Regulatory Board throughout the year, the content is complemented by the rating and statistical balance of the production of the 2019 harvest, as well as the most significant data on the vineyards, wineries, marketing, etc. This compendium of information provides a general overview of the current situation of the Rioja DOCa and it will prove highly useful as a reference work.

The year is summed up by Fernando Salamero as “one of transition, as the markets haven’t made things easy for us, even though our winegrowers and wineries have demonstrated their great professionalism by completing what many are already calling THE Rioja harvest”. This is definitely the best news of the year, as this excellent harvest will make history among the great Rioja vintages. “This change of decade is a key moment; we must keep working hard and we’ll do so together. We’ll be ready to deal with the ups and downs that occur in the markets and the different challenges and unknown factors, such as Brexit and this past year’s tariffs”. What no one was factoring into their forecasts for 2020 was the global health crisis caused by the coronavirus. “Although it’s too early to evaluate its impact on the Rioja DOCa”, concludes the President, “it’s forced us to reframe the drawing up the new 2020-2030 Strategic Plan on which we are focusing our efforts, with the participation of all the associations that make up the Regulatory Board”.

Previous years’ reports

Below are the Reports published by the Control Board in recent years.