As the Rioja Denominación de Origen Calificada (DOCa) marks its 100th anniversary in 2025, the region reports positive export figures despite a challenging global market. According to the DOCa Rioja Regulatory Council, exports of Rioja wines increased by 4% in 2024, reaching 98.8m liters across 135 countries.
This growth contrasts with the overall decline in Spanish wine exports, which fell by 11% between January and November 2024, according to the Spanish Wine Market Observatory (OEMV). Red wines drove Rioja's success, with a 5% increase in volume, and the Crianza category leading the way with 9% growth.
The UK and US markets were particularly strong, showing a 12% and 17% volume increase, respectively. However, Germany, the second-largest importer of Rioja after the US, experienced a 5% decline, with imports now at approximately 11.7m liters, representing 11.83% of total Rioja exports.
Domestic Market Challenges for Rioja
While Rioja maintains its leading position in the Spanish domestic market, sales experienced a slight decline due to economic pressures. The region saw a 2% decrease in volume compared to 2023, with sales totaling just over 141m liters. Despite this dip, Rioja remains the top appellation in Spain, accounting for 27% of volume and 30% of value.
In contrast to export trends, white Rioja wines performed well in the domestic market, with a 2% increase. The Reserva category also saw strong growth, with a 7% rise in sales.
Fernando Ezquerro, President of the DOCa Rioja Regulatory Council, commented: "The fact that Rioja sales have increased, albeit modestly, in such a complicated economic environment as the one we are in, once again demonstrates consumer confidence in Rioja, their preference for this designation, and the strength of its century-old brand."
Ezquerro also highlighted measures such as distillation and green harvesting, which have helped reduce the average storage time of DOCa Rioja wines to 3.38 years, bringing it closer to the average aging period of 3.12 years. SP
