Wines from Rioja attaches consumer event to trade tasting

By Michelle Perrett

Published: 25 September, 2017

Wines from Rioja, the UK marketing arm of The Rioja Regulatory Council, is to run a consumer event directly following its 10 x 10 Trade Tasting on Tuesday, 3 October at Banking Hall, London.

Launched in partnership with Basque-inspired restaurant, Donostia Social Club, the Rioja 10 x 10: Wine x Tapas consumer event will give visitors the chance to taste the full list of top 100 wines also showcased at the trade event.

The consumer tasting had been added to “bring the Rioja brand closer to the consumer”, said Ricardo Aguiriano, marketing director for The Rioja Regulatory Council.

“We have created Rioja 10 by 10: Wine x Tapas to engage directly with consumers - we wanted to create an authentic experience for our guests and draw attention to Rioja’s food matching ability by partnering with an authentic Spanish tapas restaurant," he said.

The trade tasting will showcase the 10 best wines in 10 different categories, featuring both wines currently in the UK market as well as those seeking representation.

First launched in 2015, it brings together a collection of some of Rioja’s top wines, which are blind tasted and selected by a panel of leading experts from across the wine trade, including an expert panel chaired by Tim Atkin MW and Sarah Jane Evans MW.

Judges identified the top 10 wines in the 10 categories of Unoaked white; Oaked white; Rosa; Crianza; Reserva (£10 - £15); Reserva (over £15); Gran Reserva; Non-Tempranillo red and Generic Wines over £15

Co-chair Tim Atkin MW said: “The 10 x 10 competition provides a wonderful insight into current and developing styles of Rioja.”

Rioja accounts for 49.4% of the Spanish wine category by value and 38.9% volume. White Rioja is also following an upward trend, increasing its volume market share by 53.8% to 6.4% of the market (Nielsen MAT to 17 June 2017).

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