Rioja wine region faces grape pricing disputes and vineyard preservation efforts

The Rioja wine region is facing internal tension regarding economic sustainability and heritage preservation. The agricultural union ARAG-Asaja has denounced the practices of certain wineries within the DOCa Rioja, accusing them of attempting to balance their accounts at the expense of grape growers. Following the release of 2025 agricultural price data, the union demanded that purchase prices for grapes reflect actual production costs and the high quality standards required by the denomination.

Simultaneously, the DOCa Rioja Regulatory Council has launched a project to identify, certify, and mark old and centennial vineyards. This initiative aims to preserve a unique agricultural heritage consisting of 8,642 hectares of old vines (planted in 1980 or earlier) and 240 verified centennial plots. The project follows five years of technical work to protect the historical, cultural, and landscape value of these vines, which the Council claims represents the highest concentration of such heritage in Spain.