Rioja celebrates a century of winemaking excellence in New York.
The DOCa commemorates its centenary in the heart of ‘the Big Apple’ in an exclusive event organised together with the luxury and lifestyle magazine Robb Report. The Consul General of Spain in New York, experts in gastronomy and culture, as well as journalists and influential people gathered to toast Rioja's 100th anniversary on the other side of the Atlantic. Rioja is the benchmark for Spanish quality wine in the US, being the second largest market in value and having increased its sales by 17% in 2024.
Rioja continues to commemorate its Centenary as Spain's first Designation of Origin, this time in the heart of Manhattan: the DOCa Control Board organised an exclusive event in New York City last week, in collaboration with the prestigious Robb Report magazine, an international reference in the field of lifestyle and luxury.
The celebration took place at the Lavan Chelsea space and brought together around 150 guests, including members of the magazine's private club, industry representatives, sommeliers, buyers, trade journalists, correspondents and authorities, including the Spanish Consul General in New York, Ms. Marta de Blas Mayordomo and representatives from the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Enterprise.
The event offered attendees a unique experience in which, based on 17 excellent and iconic DOCa wines, they were able to immerse themselves in the culture and legacy of Rioja. With a carefully staged event, the event paired contemporary art from the Designation with an exclusive tasting, taking a journey through the 100 years that the Designation celebrates through the different wines that highlighted the different generations that have forged the prestige of Rioja.
‘Tonight we are not only celebrating one hundred years of history: we are celebrating the encounter between two worlds that share the same philosophy: Robb Report and Rioja believe in the authentic, in that which, like good wine, does not need to shout to leave its mark’, said Iñigo Tapiador, director of Marketing and Communication of the DOCa Rioja Control Board during the event. ‘The United States is, without a doubt, a great friend; a market that not only understands our wines, but also feels them, incorporates them into their lifestyle and elevates them. And that is of great value to us’.
In a challenging international context, this type of event not only commemorates and highlights Rioja's Centenary in the world, but also reflects the firm and constant commitment of the Designation and the sector to foreign promotion in strategic markets such as the United States, and vindicates Rioja as a leader in Spanish quality wine and a global benchmark.
In fact, for the DOCa Rioja, the United States is the second largest export market in terms of value and the third largest in volume, behind only the United Kingdom. In 2024 Rioja sold 17% more than the previous year in the United States, exceeding 10.4 million litres.
