Spanish Wine Denominations of Origin and Qualified Denominations of Origin
We regularly have clients asking us what the difference is between a Denominación de Origen / Denomination of Origin (D.O.) and a Denominación de Origin Calificada / Qualified Denomination of Origin (D.O.Ca.). The short answer is that the D.O.Ca. is a higher category for the truly great wine-making areas. There are currently two D.O.s within this category: Rioja and Priorat.
Originally, D.O.s were set up for two principal reasons. On the one hand, to allow consumers to know what they are buying. By regulating the grape varieties, yields, irrigation, pesticides, etc, etc a wine drinker can expect a wine from a particular D.O. to conform to certain standards.
The other main argument for D.O.s is that it protects wine-makers in a certain region from outsiders who want to take advantage of their good name. The first D.O.s were set up in 1932 for Rioja and the sherry-producing regions.
To qualify for D.O.Ca. status, a region has to have been a D.O. for at least 10 years. In the words of John Radford in his book “The New Spain”, D.O.Ca. “allows for lower yields, more rigorous selection of grapes and bottling by the producer, and it aspires to guarantee wines that have performed at the highest quality levels over a large number of years”. The first D.O.Ca. classification was awarded to Rioja in 1991 with Priorat following 15 years later.
I can see the original logic to setting up D.O.s but I have my doubts as to how effective the whole concept is nowadays. For example, are all Rioja wines of such great quality? Without mentioning any names, I can think of at least three Rioja wines that I consider bad wines, so what happened to the guarantee of quality? And the same goes for many other D.O.s. I really don’t believe that simply being certified by a D.O. necessarily means that a wine will be any good.
I also think that the regulations imposed on a winery within a D.O. can be too restrictive. In some cases, it can limit a winery’s ability to experiment, to try a new grape variety, for example, or to use different production methods.
I sometimes get the feeling that new D.O.s are sometimes created as a way to overcome this problem. How many D.O.s are there now? There must be over 70 with the recent additions of Ribera del Arlanza and Zamora. Surely there’ll be a point when the number of D.O.s gets so high that it becomes self-defeating?
And, to end my little rant, why on earth are there single-estate D.O.s? Somebody please explain these to me as I just don’t understand the point of them.
Ane Miren
Tags: Add new tag, appellations, denomination of origin, Priorat, Ribera del Arlanza, Rioja, Spain, wine, Zamora
April 28th, 2008 at 1:29 pm
Single estate DO’s exist due to ego. Nothing more.
Also just an FYI Ribera del Duero was awarded DOCa status last year, though I’m not sure when the first labels will begin to show on bottles.
April 28th, 2008 at 1:33 pm
Ryan,
I actually rang the Ribera del Duero DO because I had an idea that it had the DOCa status but they told me that they don’t.
April 28th, 2008 at 1:53 pm
I also read on some website recently that Ribera del Duero was awarded D.O.Ca. Some wineries actually make a conscious decision to dump the D.O. in order to experiment new wine making technique or mixing new grape variety not allowed by their D.O. One of them that came to my mind is Bodegas Ribas from Mallorca, and they make some very good wines.
I think D.O. authorities do not grant the right to label based on the quality of the wine, but the quality of the process in making the wine, and the quality of the ingredients. Therefore you can still have an awful tasting wine from a famous D.O. simply because the winemaker simply is not good. Much like the fact that one can follow the recipe from the greatest chef on earth, but the dish may still taste awful.
Correct me if I am wrong.
April 28th, 2008 at 2:11 pm
Comparatively, I think the Spanish D.O. system (with only around 70 DOs) is far less complicated than many other countries. Just compare Italy or France with their vastly greater number of delineated wine areas. Just the North Coast region of California has about 45 AVAs.
Though having around 8 DOs for just the Canary Islands certainly is bizarre.
April 30th, 2008 at 9:07 am
Well, talk about lack of up to date information. For a country that prides itself on its DOs and DOCs, you’ve struck gold if you can find an up to date list. Wines of Spain has 61 DOs, ICEX has 63, Guia Penin has 67 and The Ministry of Agriculture has 68. That said, your guess is as good as mine, but I’d go with the highest number