2020 Rioja & Spain Vintage

The year's weather was uneven and called for very precise technical management in each of the three production zones, on top of a pandemic that forced a full reorganization of vineyard and winery work under strict health protocols. The cycle began with an explosive and early bud break. A rainy spring followed, with average rainfall above 550 mm, which required constant watch against diseases such as mildew; the mildew caused localized damage at specific points in Rioja Alta and Rioja Alavesa. The summer alternated hot spells with cool nights, which favored gradual ripening. Light rain in September, together with a north wind and falling night temperatures, brought greater balance to the grapes' quality parameters. The harvest was staggered, with timing adjusted plot by plot so that grapes reached the wineries in optimal condition, with stable berry weight. In all, 410 million kilograms of grapes were made into wine by 583 wineries, spread across the three producing autonomous communities. The harvest improved as the cycle went on and ended in broadly satisfactory results.

• Spring: explosive, early bud break, then a rainy spring with average rainfall above 550 mm
• Disease: mildew caused localized damage at specific points in Rioja Alta and Rioja Alavesa
• Summer: hot spells alternating with cool nights; light September rain, a north wind and cooler nights
• Harvest: staggered plot by plot; 410 million kg of grapes made into wine by 583 wineries

The Consejo Regulador gave the 2020 harvest its "Muy Buena" (Very Good) rating after analyzing all the wines made in the Denomination. Between November 2020 and February 2021, its technicians collected nearly 4,800 samples from the wineries' fermentation tanks. These went through physical and chemical analysis and were tasted by a panel of 150 professionals working in sessions of five tasters, for a total of 24,000 assessments on which the rating was based. The vintage produced 262.6 million liters of qualified wine. During the harvest, a team of 200 Consejo technicians and harvest assistants oversaw compliance with the Denomination's rules under anti-Covid protocols, in what the director of its control body described as a safe harvest.

• Official rating: "Muy Buena" (Very Good)
• Assessment: nearly 4,800 tank samples, tasted by 150 professionals in sessions of five, for 24,000 assessments
• Qualified wine: 262.6 million liters
• Harvest oversight: 200 Consejo technicians and harvest assistants, under anti-Covid protocols

Alcohol levels were moderate, lower than in the 2019 campaign, and the Consejo describes them as in perfect harmony with acidity and structure. The Consejo describes the reds as aromatically open, with great fruit definition and a roundness on the palate that reflects very good phenolic ripeness, and very ripe, round tannin. The rosados moved toward paler shades with more maturity in their aromatic range. The whites stood out for high aromatic intensity, very good acidity and precise winemaking, and the Consejo points to a very positive evolution in their quality.

• Alcohol: moderate, lower than 2019
• Reds: open aromatics, great fruit definition, round palate and very ripe, round tannin
• Rosados: paler shades, more maturity in the aromatic range
• Whites: high aromatic intensity and very good acidity