This Friday, July 21, the Spanish capital is preparing to host one of the most anticipated events for wine lovers: the ‘Grupo Rioja Trends Tasting’. The Spanish Union of Tasters in Madrid will open its doors to receive nearly twenty renowned journalists and prescribers from the national wine sector. The main reason for the meeting is to present those Rioja wines that are currently setting the standard in the market, all of them coming from the thirty member wineries of the prestigious winery association.
Under the careful organization of Andrés Proensa, one of the most prominent critics in the specialized wine press, and the technical direction of Fernando Gurucharri, President of the Spanish Tasters Union, the event has the firm purpose of showing relevant and current Rioja projects. This meeting, beyond being a showcase for wine innovations, also has the objective of valuing and recognizing the work of the specialized press. The dissemination and promotion carried out by these professionals are essential for the growth and strengthening of the wine sector.
The day will have different moments. The starting point will be a tasting divided into two thematic sections, which will culminate with a lunch in which attendees will be able to taste all the wines that have been presented during the session. At 10:00 a.m., the renowned journalist and wine critic Carlos Delgado will take charge of guiding those present in the tasting of Rioja white wines. After 12:00 noon, it will be the turn of the “Terruño” red wines, with the participation of the award-winning journalist and wine critic Amaya Cervera, recent winner of the National Gastronomy Award.
Fernando Salamero, President of the Rioja Group, and Iñigo Torres, General Director of the association, will act as ambassadors in this exclusive meeting. Attendees will have the opportunity to taste a total of 41 wines, divided into 23 whites and 18 reds. These wines represent the most current projects of the thirty participating wineries. It is important to note that the Government of La Rioja has supported this event through aid for the promotion of agri-food products.
Grupo Rioja, with 55 years of history, is the oldest association in the Denomination and has been a key player in the evolution and recognition of Rioja. It is the main winery association, collaborating with more than 60 wineries that spread throughout the three autonomous communities that are part of it. These wineries purchase grapes from more than 11,000 viticulturists and employ more than 2,700 people in the production area, jointly representing more than 75% of Rioja sales.
The Group is made up of companies of all scales, from those belonging to large national groups to small family wineries, which, regardless of their size, share a clear export orientation.
To give an idea of the level of wines that will be presented, it is enough to mention some of the wineries and wines that will participate: Bodegas Altanza with its “Altanza Sauvignon Blanc 2022”, Bodegas Marqués de Cáceres with “Antea Edición Limitada 2021”, Bodegas Izadi-Grupo Artevino presenting “Izadi Blanco Selección 2022”, among many others.
