WINE EXPERT’S WORDS
- Heart Of Hollywood Team
- Sep 1
- 3 min read
A Century of Rioja
By Angelo Rivas
Turning 100 is no small feat. It’s not just about surviving, but about staying relevant and vibrant, even. Rioja, Spain’s first-ever wine designation of origin, has done just that. And in the eyes of many, it remains the country’s most iconic wine region.
“There’s still a spark in Rioja,” says José Luis Lapuente, general director of the Rioja DOCa Regulatory Council. “Tradition runs deep here, but so does innovation. New projects, bold ideas. Rioja isn’t just looking back. It’s moving forward. There’s no reason we won’t be celebrating another hundred years.”
To mark its centennial, Rioja launched a sweeping international campaign, with 10 million Euros worth of messaging across continents, targeting both the media and the public.
Numbers tell part of the story: Spain still leads consumption, but exports now account for 40% of Rioja’s reach. For a touch of nostalgia, and unmistakable flair, the campaign even licensed Julio Iglesias’s popular song “Me Va, Me Va” as its anthem.
The celebration itself was staged across three historic locations. At the venerable Marqués de Murrieta and Marqués de Riscal wineries, two of Rioja’s oldest estates, guests gathered to toast the region’s legacy. In Haro, often called the cradle of Rioja, a striking monument was unveiled: a globe forged from 100 iron pieces, each one symbolizing a key element of the region’s past and future.
On June 5th, King Felipe VI of Spain and the presidents of Rioja’s three sub-regions presided over the event, adding a regal touch to the festivities.
In Madrid and Bilbao, once the maritime gateway for Rioja’s exports, exclusive tastings dubbed “Wines of the Century” offered rare glimpses into the past. Among the bottles opened: 1925 and 1945 vintages of Marqués de Riscal, drawn from one of the best-stocked private cellars in the region.
“They weren’t just old,” Lapuente notes. “They were alive, balanced, expressive, with no harsh edges. Age had only refined them.”
The party, of course, isn’t over. In Spain, more events are planned for the second half of the year. In the U.S., Rioja has already made waves with tastings in partnership with Decanter magazine, exclusive offerings at the Sonesta Hotels, and a series of industry gatherings to deepen its stateside presence.
Listening to the Land and the Market
“Our job,” Lapuente explains, “is to stay tuned in, to both the land and the market. Consumers today want wines with a sense of place. They’re drawn to bottles that carry the name of a village, the story of a vineyard.”
That connection to terroir is stronger than ever. Rioja is leaning into its diversity, not just as to geography but also as to style. While red wines dominate the region’s fame, white wines are claiming their space. Globally, whites now account for 35% of wine consumption, and Rioja is ready: from fresh, young expressions to oak-aged whites, and even those capable of aging gracefully for 50 years.
“We’re not just competing with our neighbors in Spain,” he adds. “We’re facing off with barrel-aged wines from all over the world. And when the weather heats up, people naturally reach for a white or a rosé.”
Change is also coming on the regulatory front. Rioja is set to expand its guidelines to allow for wines with lower alcohol content, in response to growing demand for lighter, more approachable profiles.
But innovation doesn’t stop with the wine itself. Rioja is redefining wine tourism, offering immersive, family-friendly experiences that go beyond a simple tasting.
“It’s not just about sipping a glass of wine,” says Lapuente. “It’s about discovering the soul of a place. And the numbers prove it. Over 900,000 people visited Rioja last year. One third of them were from abroad. And more than 200 wineries now open their doors to the world.”
In many ways, Rioja is a region of dualities. The old and the new. Tradition and evolution. But that’s precisely what keeps it alive, restless, ambitious, and always ready for the next century.
Angelo Rivas is a sommelier and journalist with 25 years of experience in the field of wine.
