2001 Rioja & Spain Vintage

The Consejo Regulador's report judges the weather from November 2000 to August 2001 adequate for a normal vine cycle. Rainfall matched the Denomination's usual averages but fell unevenly: abundant from November to April, a dry spring, and a summer that, within its usual dryness, got enough rain from storms. Temperatures were mild in winter but exceptionally high in spells of spring, reaching 40 degrees in May and June, while summer stayed within normal parameters. Frost and hail had very little impact. Good temperatures brought some advance in budbreak, flowering, fruit set and ripening. Fruit set was excellent over most of the DOCa, enough that the Consejo suggested growers consider thinning bunches by hand to stay within the permitted maximum. The exception was old vines on loose, arid soils, where fruit set met the heat and some showed moderate water stress in early July, mostly relieved by later rain. Garnacha suffered coulure. Harvest began in Rioja Baja on 4 September and ended on 3 November in Labastida. Decanter's harvest report adds that rain came with a vengeance on 22 and 23 September. The crop came to 367.16 million kg, 25.18 percent below 2000, an average of 6,832 kg/ha, practically the regulatory ceiling.

• Abundant rain November to April, a dry spring, summer storms brought enough rain (Consejo)
• Heat spikes reaching 40 degrees in May and June; summer temperatures normal
• Harvest from 4 September in Rioja Baja to 3 November in Labastida
• 367.16 million kg, 25.18 percent below 2000; 6,832 kg/ha on average

Rioja Baja ran first: the Consejo dates the start of harvest there to 4 September, with picking general in that subzone in the second half of September before spreading to the centre of the DOCa and, in the first days of October, to the rest of Rioja Alta and Alavesa, staggered by variety and soil. Rioja Alta saw the largest fall in production against 2000, around 30 percent, more in the Najera and Haro areas. Decanter's report caught producers at different stages: Baron de Ley in Rioja Baja started on 18 September and reported very healthy, ripe grapes; Jesus Madrazo at Contino in Rioja Alavesa was picking only his oldest vines, 70-year-old Graciano already at 13.5 percent potential alcohol; Marques de Riscal in Rioja Alavesa and Marques de Caceres in Rioja Alta were holding off until the end of the month.

• Rioja Baja: harvest from 4 September, general in the second half of September
• Rioja Alta and Alavesa: picking continued into early October
• Rioja Alta: production down around 30 percent on 2000, more around Najera and Haro
• Labastida: last grapes in on 3 November

The plenary of the Consejo Regulador awarded 2001 its maximum rating, "Excelente" (Excellent), citing the results of the qualification every wine had to pass to carry the name. The Consejo notes that sector technicians already called it a historic harvest. No vintage since 1980, when rigorous qualification by analysis and tasting of all wines began, had given such a high share of very high quality wines, and the average analytical parameters were the best to date, higher even than 1994. Only nine harvests were rated Excelente in the twentieth century, the last three being 1995, 1994 and 1982. The certified volume was 240.03 million litres: 215.70 million red, 14.57 million white and 9.76 million rose.

• Official rating: "Excelente" (Excellent), the Consejo's maximum grade
• Best average analytical parameters to date, above 1994
• Previous Excelente years: 1995, 1994 and 1982
• 240.03 million litres certified, 215.70 million of it red

From the first samples the Consejo found smaller, lighter berries with a good pulp to skin ratio. Garnacha, picked first, came in at 13 to 15 degrees of potential alcohol, higher than in preceding years; Tempranillo was picked plot by plot at 12 to 14 degrees, as were Graciano and Mazuelo. Alcohol, acidity, colour intensity and polyphenols all came out above the average of every previous harvest and very even across most of the crop, so the Consejo judged the wines very suited to ageing. Guillermo Aranzabal, managing director of La Rioja Alta, told Decanter: 'The hot, dry weather reduced the crop a little, but gave good colour, enhanced sugar levels, tannins and acids, and delivered good concentration'. Decanter reported that most producers expected 2001 to be as great as 1994.

• Smaller berries with a good pulp to skin ratio (Consejo)
• Garnacha at 13 to 15 degrees, Tempranillo at 12 to 14 degrees
• Alcohol, acidity, colour and polyphenols above the average of all earlier harvests
• Most producers expected a match for 1994, per Decanter

Decanter's harvest report put the Spain-wide crop about 20 percent down at around 35 million hectolitres, after prolonged winter rains and a long, hot, dry summer, with picking up to fifteen days early in some places. In Ribera del Duero spring frosts were the main problem, and Decanter's news report put yields 40 percent down, with winemakers thrilled with the quality. In Navarra, the report says grapes ripened some fifteen days ahead of normal and the Consejo Regulador there was predicting "Excelente". Rias Baixas, which lost half its 2000 crop, doubled its production.

• Spain-wide: crop about 20 percent down, around 35 million hectolitres (Decanter)
• Ribera del Duero: spring frosts, yields 40 percent down, some mildew
• Navarra: ripeness about fifteen days ahead of normal
• Rias Baixas: production doubled after a short 2000