Circular 2/2002. Decisions
adopted to improve quality

The Control Board Plenary, having met in sessions on 12 January and 24 May 2001, adopted a number of decisions that responded to a general awareness of the sector regarding the need for improvement in the quality of protected wines, beyond the levels that earned the DO Calificada standing, as its long-term consolidation depends largely on the success of attaining this goal. For greater explicitness and general knowledge, some of the steps arising from decisions are clarified below, as well as associated regulatory provisions:

• A strict control of the yields of the plots constituting the holding of each registered grape grower, differentiating production according to colour and downgrading any excesses over set limits for each colour. The wines resulting from the excess of grape processing will be dealt with the same way, where the lack of protection will be made individually according to the colour without any type of compensation.
• Mixing rosé wines and red wines is forbidden.
• Failure to comply with the regulations regarding pruning or irrigation will entail that the production of the affected area of the plot in the immediately subsequent harvest may not be used to make protected wines. All of this without prejudice to such sanctions which, as the case may be, are imposed.
• The maximum percentage of white grapes in the vinification of red wines is 5% in the case destemmed grapes and 15% in the case of whole clusters. In the latter case, prior written notice to the Control Board stating the volume to be vinified is required.

You are hereby notified for your knowledge and such effects as may obtain

Logroño, 8 January 2002

THE PRESIDENT,

Ángel de Jaime Baró