Rioja DOCa

Rioja DOCa is located at the altitude of 300 to 700 metres in the north of Spain. One of only two DOCa in Spain, this cool climate region has unique conditions due to the influences from the Atlantic on the west and warm winds from the east.  In Rioja, summers are not severe and winters are mild with the regular rain fall through the year because the Demanda Mountains on the southwest shield the heat from the central mountains in summer while the Cantabria Mountains in the north shelter the cold northwest winds from the Bay of Biscay. Another important factor is the micro-climate created by the Ebro River which runs through the alluvial valley which consists mostly of clay and limestone.