Circular 7/2017. Conditions
for the designation of wines
from a given zone

The Control Board Plenary of the DOCa Rioja, in session held on 11 August 2017, made, in relation to the matter of reference, the following decisions:

1. The name of a zone can only be applied to a wine when it is made with grapes from one of the three zones of the Denominación de Origen Calificada Rioja, and it is made (and aged, as the case may be) and bottled within its confines. In any case, the actual alcoholic strength must comply with the minimum set out in the Designation Specifications. Exceptionally, a wine may be considered to come from the zone if its vinification includes no more than 15% of grapes from registered vineyards in municipalities bordering the zone where the operator is located and provided that it is accredited by legally valid title, that such operator has had that 15% of grapes at its disposal for no less than 10 years.
2. The right to use the zone on the label requires prior verification. Such verification shall include a report signed by the Control Body of the Control Board that confirms compliance with the following requirements:
   • Documentary control
     • Prior communication to Control Board
     • Statement of amount of wine made from that zone.
     • Specific classification.
     • Dedicated control sheets for movements, ageing and bottling.
     • Current back label or seal with controlled numbering and specific coding.
     • Declaration of aptitude of the wine made from that zone
   • Physical control
     • Traceability of the wine made in the winery that identifies the provenance of the grape.
     • Assessment of amount of wine made with grapes from that zone.
     • Dedicated assessment of stocks and ageing processes.
     • Specific classification verification.
     • Control of transfers of wines from the zone.
     • Control of use of back labels and seals.
     • Control of batches of wine approved for the zone

3. The label must include the name of the zone under the term ‘Denominación de Origen Calificada’, and the text size, thickness and colour must be at most equivalent to the name of the Designation, ‘RIOJA’. In any case, the name of the zone cannot stand out more than the name ‘RIOJA’ on the label.
4. Prior notification to the Control Board, promotional marks may be used that refer to the name of the zone on the capsules of the bottles, as long as it is also indicated on the label, for having the right to do so.
5. The name of the zone can not be included among the bottler’s location data.
6. The changes that affect the Designation Specifications will be considered consummated with the modification of this one.
7. This Official Circular supersedes Official Circulars 5/98, 17/98 and 4/99.

Logroño, 18 August 2017.

THE PRESIDENT,

Fernando Salamero Laorden