After the picking of the final grapes of the 2007 Rioja harvest on 2 November, the Control Board of the Denominación de Origen Calificada (D.O.Ca.) expressed their satisfaction with the quality of this year’s vintage. President Victor Pascual Artacho attributed the potential for high quality wines to the technical expertise and professionalism of growers in the region and the good weather that accompanied the final stages of maturation.
The growing period was particularly long this year with an extensive, selective harvest beginning on 3 September with the final grapes collected almost two months later. Thanks to the fine, sunny late autumn weather picking was staggered ensuring each vineyard site was picked at optimum ripeness with grapes reaching the winery with a fine balance of potential alcohol, phenolics and acidity – the lack of rain ensuring that there was little evidence of rot.
The total yield of 412 million kg (91% red and 9% white) represents a reduction of 2.2% compared to 2006. Of this the D.O. approved 391 million kg of grapes for wine production and, for the first time this year, wineries were able to set aside 10% of the maximum yield as holding stock to insure against small harvests in the future.
The feeling across the region is one of optimism, with healthy grapes benefiting from good colour and alcohol levels promising great wines from 2007– another in a string of very good and excellent vintages in Rioja. 2004 Crianzas and 2001 Gran Reservas, both from vintages rated as ‘excellent’ are now on the market, while the 2005 Crianzas, another ‘excellent’ vintage, have recently been previewed in the region.
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