Circular 7/1999. Replanting with minority
authorised white varieties. Experimenting
with minority traditional white varieties

The Control Board of the Denominación de Origen Calificada Rioja, at a session held on 6 March 1992 took the agreement, made a decision which was published in Official Circular No. 10/92, of 23 March 1992 to temporarily suspend the favourable report on any plantation request, replanting or replacement of vines with white varieties. According to Article 9 of the DOCa RIOJA Regulations (MO of 3-4-91), it is mandatory and determinant for vineyards to be recorded in the Control Board Register of Vineyards.

The reasons that led to the adoption of this decision survive to date, so it remains in force. However, understanding that there is a certain risk of loss of genetic diversification in the white varieties existing in the Wine Region, due to the fact that 96% is Viura, at a session held on 4 June 1999, the Control Board agreed to report favourably on replanting requests with the minority authorised varieties Garnacha Blanca and Malvasía de Rioja, provided that replanting rights come from the grubbing up of a vineyard registered in the Rioja DOCa for white varieties.

In any case, as a prerequisite to the final registration of these replantings in the Register of Vineyards, they will be examined in their second year by Control Board technicians in order to verify that the vine varieties used are actually the minority Garnacha blanca and/or Malvasía de Rioja, otherwise determining the suspension or cancellation of the registration in application of Article 25 of the DOCa RIOJA Regulations.

Likewise, it is of interest for the Wine Region to set a path that allows for experimenting with traditional minority varieties not included in the Regulations, which run the risk of disappearing in the area and that can provide genetic diversity while maintaining the differentiation of Rioja wines. Thus, this Control Board has decided, in the same session, to favourably report requests for some traditional minority white varieties that will be determined later, for experimental purposes, as long as the requests and experiments meet the requirements agreed upon by this Organisation and published by Official Circular no. 5/99,2 May 1999, on action standards in the field of viticultural experimentation in the DOCa Rioja.

You are hereby notified for your knowledge.

Logroño, 5 July 1.999

THE PRESIDENT

Ángel de Jaime Baró