History

THE WINE HARVEST FESTIVAL OF RIOJA ALAVESA

It started in 1994 in Villa de Laguardia and since then it has already been held in fifteen towns, always on the Sunday of the middle of September, which marks the start of the Wine Harvest. The intention of this mass event is to provide visitors with information about the towns, their way of life and especially their wine as the region's main rural development product. The festival starts with its traditional opening speech carried out by important sports, cultural, press or social personalities, who become Rioja Alavesa ambassadors. The treading of grapes and the tasting of the first grape juice leads to a visit around the hosting town tasting the different wines classified by towns and wineries. As usual, the wine is tasted in a fine wine glass printed with the logo of Rioja Alavesa, which in turn is a peculiar souvenir of this event. Different activities, child games, gastronomic demonstrations, music... are combined with the wine tasting turning the event into a festive day for entertainment and coexistence. The mass attendance to the event does not mean any handicap because the organisation has volunteers always willing to make this day as easy and pleasant as possible. Before this event takes place there are other meetings aimed at the Twinning of Rioja Alavesa wine with other table products, as well as the Contest of Rioja Denomination of Origin wines in which the best wines of the three sub-regions of La Rioja take part.