Rioja is the Origin
Rioja is a region where history, landscape and culture are deeply intertwined with the wine tradition. Situated on both sides of the Ebro River and between the Sierra de Cantabria and the Sierra de la Demanda, this region has exceptional vine growing conditions. Centuries ago, this region, characterized by its diversity of climates, altitudes, municipalities, landscapes, grape varieties, colours and styles of wine, became the leading producer of quality wines in Spain.
Rioja, land of a thousand sensations
Wine has been, and still is, the driving force and identity of this region, whose distinctive character has opened the doors to international markets for Spanish wine and delighted generations of wine lovers.
The Rioja wine region, which covers parts of three Autonomous Communities – La Rioja, Navarra and the Basque Country – is the main destination for wine tourism lovers in Spain is recognised worldwide for this type of tourism activity.
Along these lines, the Rioja region is divided into three Rioja Wine Routes – Rioja Alta, Rioja Alavesa and Rioja Oriental – all of which are certified as Wine Routes of Spain. In addition to these routes, there are more than 50 wineries in the Rioja region that are not associated with these routes but are also open to visitors. In total, around 200 wineries in the region offer the opportunity for visits and programmes to enjoy one of the world’s most prestigious wines and its surroundings.
As a leader in the Spanish wine scene, Rioja has focused its efforts on developing a high quality wine tourism offer that serves as a national reference and a strong argument for the promotion of its wines. This tourist proposal has become an essential tool for projecting Rioja’s image of quality and strengthening its relationship with consumers.
Enotourism in numbers
The Rioja Designation of Origin covers more than 65,000 hectares and 144 municipalities, with almost 600 wineries of great diversity and 15,000 winegrowers. The innovative nature of Rioja has been constantly growing and consolidating over time.
The Rioja wine region is the leader in wine tourism in Spain and is a national and international benchmark in this industry. According to the ‘Monitor de Enoturismo de la DOCa Rioja 2022’, a report published by the Control Board of the QDO Rioja, in collaboration with an independent consulting firm, wine tourism in Rioja continues to grow strongly. In 2022, the 202 QDO Rioja wineries that offer wine tourism experiences received 748,345 visitors, an increase of 62.64% compared to 2021. These figures are close to the record set in 2019, before the pandemic, when the wineries received 860,000 visits.
The three Rioja Wine Routes certified by the Spanish Association of Wine Cities (ACEVIN): Rioja Alavesa Wine Route, Rioja Alta Wine Route and Rioja Oriental Wine Route, have also experienced a large number of visitors in 2022, consolidating Rioja as a leading driver of wine tourism activity at a national and international level.
