DOC Rioja’s 2011 vintage - Excellent

The 2011 vintage ranks among the top 3 vintages which boast the highest rated quality parameters of the past 30 years

04/11/2012

The 2011 vintage is ranked at the same level as the 1994 and 2004 vintages

DOC Rioja’s Regulating Council has given the 2011 vintage the official ranking of ‘Excellent’ following a rigorous analysis and tasting process of almost 4,000 samples representing the 277.3 million litres of wine made from the year’s grape harvest. The results reveal that the 2011 vintage is one of the top 3 vintages, together with 1994 and 2004, which boast the highest rated analytical parameters of the past three decades, the period when the appellation first implemented the current quality control system which it submits its new wines to every year.

The 2011 harvest was hardly hit by plagues and disease during the season, maintaining optimum growth and sanitary conditions throughout, despite the difficulties posed by the drought in some regions, which contributed to the exceptional vigour of the grapes harvested last year. All of which has given rise to extremely well structured wines boasting excellent colour and sanitary conditions, which augurs well for future premium wines.

The 3,987 samples were analysed in one of the appellation’s three Oenological Research Stations and rated by three of the tasters which form part of the Regulating Council’s panel of external tasters. Having passed the quality controls, a total of 266.4 million litres of wine were rated; 99.3 per cent of the total volume produced. A figure which has gradually increased over the years and bears witness to the continuous improvement in quality of the wines produced under the appellation, despite the more exacting requirements set up to give an overall rating to every vintage.