REPORT ON THE 2011 HARVEST IN THE D.O.Ca. RIOJA

387 million kilos of grapes and promising quality forecasts for 2011 Riojas

The Control Board of the D.O.Ca. Rioja has determined the final figures of the 2011 harvest with great satisfaction. There are excellent quality expectations for the recently-made wines of the 2011 vintage. The total production volume was 387 million kg of grapes. The exceptional health of the grapes was one of the fundamental traits of this harvest and the main reason for the absence of incidents during fermentations. The general opinion is that the resulting wines are well structured, with good colour and very healthy, promising top-quality wines.

On 25 October, the last grapes of the 2011 harvest were picked in the Rioja Wine Region and the Control Board Technical Service closed the harvest season. The harvest had lasted the usual two months and begun in Azagra on 24 August. As with every other stage in the growing cycle, the harvest took place earlier than usual, thanks to exceptionally dry weather. There were significant differences between the vines located in arid areas that cannot be irrigated and those in cool areas that can be irrigated.

The lack of rainfall throughout the growing season had a significant impact on limiting production. This year’s approved Harvest Standards allowed for a maximum production of 460 million kg. However, the final figure for the 2011 harvest was 387.57 million kg picked in the 62,125 hectares of vineyards in production that are currently registered in the D.O. This means that the average yield was 6,238 kg per hectare, the lowest in recent years. The production that was finally approved by the designation of Origin was 383.03 million kg.

According to the report of the Control Board Technical Service, the general development of the vineyards in 2011 across the Wine Region was marked by excellent vegetation and health right up to the end of the growing season. There were practically no weather incidents (frosts, storms) or health problems (pest, disease). This led to a positive evolution of the most significant parameters that determine final quality and to grapes of exceptional health for the 2011 harvest.

2011 HARVEST GRAPE PRODUCTION (millions of kg)
Grape colour	La Rioja	Alava	Navarre	Total	% of total
Red	247.37	70.64	39.80	357.81	92.32
White	21.17	7.21	1.38	29.76	7.68
TOTAL	268.54	77.85	41.18	387.57	100.00