If the Spanish winegrowers were allowed to decide, the Spanish vineyard surface would this year increase by 13 500 hectares. But Spanish authorities, after lobbying from co-operatives and other agricultural organisations, have set the limit at 4,173 hectares, which corresponds to an increase of the Spanish surface of just 0.43%. Other EU countries are allowed to increase their acreage by 1%.
3,400 hectares went to DOP areas of which Rioja received a paltry 387. Rioja probably have many disappointed growers today. New plantings of a total of 5,512 hectares had been demanded. But apparently the Consejo Regulador de la Rioja DOCa wants plantations to be limited as to not risk a devaluation of the brand.
How do you decide who should be allowed to plant? In Spain, they gave priority to young and new growers and to winemakers who could demonstrate “good behavior”(!).
Read more: riojawine.com
