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Why Rioja continues to ‘bask in glory’
Last year’s Rioja Masters had one of the highest numbers of Gold and Master medals of any Global Wine Masters Competition. Turn your Rioja into a star by entering our competition before 2 September.
While there are plenty of up-and-coming parts of the Spanish wine scene, the fact that Rioja has such enduring popularity says much about its stylistic positioning, pricing and willingness to adapt.
Rioja sells well because it tastes good, it’s relatively inexpensive and it has evolved with the times. Indeed, it has succeeded where other once mainstream European wine regions have struggled – for example, large red wine-producing areas such as Bordeaux or Chianti, which have suffered long-term declines.
So what’s behind this success? Or rather, what did we learn from our annual health check on the region – the tough blind tasting competition that is The Rioja Masters? Well, with Rioja securing some of the highest numbers of Gold and Master medals of any competition we’ve run this year, we can confidently say that it is on song.
Or, in the words of fellow judge and Global Masters Chair Jonathan Pedley MW: “Standards are being maintained in Rioja and it can continue to bask in the glory of being Spain’s preeminent premium wine region.”
A panel of leading industry experts will judge the wines submitted in a blind tasting to discover the best examples from this incredible region in six categories:
- Joven
- Crianza
- Reserva
- Gran Reserva
- Vinos de autor
- Rioja 15 years and older
The judging panel, chaired by the drinks business, will be composed exclusively of Masters of Wine, Master Sommeliers and buyers. The panel will award the best wines with medals from Bronze through to Gold, with the opportunity to be rewarded a Master for exceptional wines.
The results will be published in the Spanish Report in December 2024.
The administration fee is £159 per wines entered.
For more information, please contact Sophie Raichura on sophie.raichura@unionpress.co.uk or +447772019932
Entry Deadline: Monday, 2nd September 2024
Sample Deadline: Monday, 9th September 2024
Refunds cannot be given for samples that do not arrive on time.
Please ensure that all UK duty on samples is pre-paid. This can be done through your shipping company.