The VINUM International Wine Competition “BEST OF RIOJA 2024” aims to objectively document the current quality and development status of all wines from the Rioja-region, and their various styles. The competition seeks to support the local wine sector’s efforts to overcome current challenges on the national and international wine market. The aim is to highlight the quality of individual wines and reward those that have achieved optimum levels. The results should serve as a guide for wine consumers and wine professionals.
Awards will be conferred in the following 8 categories:
Red wines
- Category 1: Joven
- Category 2: Crianza
- Category 3: Reserva
- Category 4: Gran Reserva
White wines
- Category 5: Joven
- Category 6: Crianza
- Category 7: Reserva
Rosé
- Category 8: Vino Rosado
At least 25 wines submitted are required for a category to be relevant for the competition. After registration, the classification of the category will be checked and adjusted if necessary. The producer is free to choose the vintages and grape varieties of the wines submitted.
Special awards/prizes:
- Best Red Wine and Best White Wine 2024 – the highest scoring wine across categories 2-4 and 6-7
- Best of Rioja Alta – Top 5 wines with designation of origin ***
- Best of Rioja Alavesa – Top 5 wines with designation of origin ***
- Best of Rioja Oriental – Top 5 wines with designation of origin ***
- Best Organic – Top 5, the best certified organic wine
*** This special prize will be awarded if at least 35 wines of the same wine region are submitted. If this quota is not reached, the special prize will not be awarded.
All properly registered wines will be tasted individually according to the defined category. The tastings will take place blindly, under preservation of anonymity. The evaluation of the wines occurs in the form of points - according to the 100-point rating system - and a short commentary note. The best 10 wines in each category (final wines) are tasted in an additional round (final round) by a reduced panel of experts. By means of this final control tasting, the final podium positions per category as well as the special prizes are finally determined. In the case of differences in the scores between the jury tasting and the final tasting, the higher score will be considered as the final score. The decisions of the panel of experts are non-appealable.