PRESERVING OLD VINE HERITAGE
Early in 2021, the Rioja DOCa authorities approved a number of measures aimed at preserving the old vines of the region – a strategy focusing on the vineyard rather than on the wines or their distribution. Although this initiative won’t be immediately reflected on the shelves of wine shops, it will have a real effect in the vineyards of Rioja.
Across the EU, the wine sector is highly regulated. Unfortunately, many existing policies, based on concerns about productivity, have led to vineyard replacement rather than preservation. Rioja is promoting changes in the EU legislation that aim to stop this trend, by reallocating financial resources to incentivise growers to keep old vineyards. Although this may look like an insignificant change, it’s a major revolution in European wine policy.
Within its realm of competence,
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