Rioja harvest: ‘exceptional’ quality and quantity

The Rioja DOCa has reported and “exceptional” harvest both in terms of quality and quantity, with unusually favourable weather, exceptional condition of grapes and staggered picking producing “superb” results.

The Rioja DOCa approved 442.4m kg of grapes from the 2016 harvest

The region’s control board certified 442.4m kg grapes which were turned into 318.5m litres of wine. Last year Rioja recorded its earliest ever harvest, with the control board reporting the end of normal harvest in the region on 13 October.

“Unusual” September and October weather was a decisive contributor to the exceptional condition of the grapes this harvest, the Rioja DOCa said. This made it possible to be very selective and pick grapes when they reached their optimum ripeness in each vineyard.

While 2015 was the earliest Rioja harvest on record, the 2016 harvest was striking in that it lasted more than two months. This was the result of good weather coupled with an unexpected increase in production after a growth cycle marked by drought and high summer temperatures, the Rioja DOCa said.

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The total grape production surface area in the region for 2016 was 62,641 hectares (759ha more than the previous vintage). Of that total, 58,016ha are planted with red varieties and 4,625ha with white (143ha and 620ha more than in 2015, respectively).

This area yielded an authorised production of 400.14m kg of red grapes (90%) and 42.22m kg of white grapes (10%). A total of 462.5m kg grapes were picked this year of which 442.4m kg were approved after discarding excess production. These were used to make 318.5m litres of DO-certified wine.

First impressions about the quality of the 2016 vintage wines are very optimistic. The control board will soon begin laboratory tests and tastings to accurately assess and rate the wine made by each winery and in the region as a whole.