Bucking recent wine industry sales trends, two of Spain’s most beloved regions experience sizable sales gains in the U.S. as other wines struggle.
May 24, 2023, New York, NY. The period of 2020 through 2022 has provided a remarkable upward ride for wine sales in the U.S. by Spain’s renowned top regions Ribera del Duero and Rueda. Unprecedented sales increases of 19% in volume and 30% in value have occurred even as wine sales overall in the U.S. have declined 4% over the same period. These figures, reported by the Consejo Regulador de la Denominación de Origen Ribera del Duero and Denominación de Origen Rueda, are attributable to strategic refinements in viticulture and winemaking, along with an innovative marketing program, resulting in increasing awareness of both regions within the U.S. wine trade and increasing consumer curiosity and acceptance.
“Ribera del Duero is considered the most prestigious red wine by Spanish consumers and Rueda Verdejos are the country’s top-selling white wines” says Pablo Olay, Campaign Director for the U.S. Ribera and Rueda (RyR) marketing program. “The combined growth of wines from these neighboring regions is expected to continue for the foreseeable future as more boutique wineries enter the U.S. market.”
The wines of Ribera del Duero have traditionally been considered “insider’s” wines; long-treasured by collectors as unknown gems and as go-to food pairing wines by sommeliers, until recently they’ve been underappreciated by consumers. As can be seen in the recent sales figures, there has been a tectonic shift in this thinking. Younger winemakers with experience in wineries around the world have brought with them a new vision of the potential of Tempranillo, Ribera’s primary grape variety. Building on the wisdom and knowledge of preceding generations, this rethinking of Ribera winemaking frees the wines to maintain their essence of place and their ability to evolve gracefully over years in the cellar, while bringing out a sensory immediacy that keeps Ribera del Duero at the top of Spain’s wine hierarchy.
In Rueda, Verdejo is the strength of the region’s white wine. Its similarity to Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Grigio means that Rueda is perfect to accompany myriad international cuisines or to enjoy on its own. These crisply detailed white wines are versatile for enjoyment across the seasons, regardless of weather or food pairings. Many wineries are shifting toward organic farming in their vineyards, and it’s no longer unusual to see female winemakers taking over at long-held family operations. The eagerly anticipated introduction this year of an upper-tier bottling called Gran Vino de Rueda will draw further attention to this burgeoning region. These wines, produced from venerable old grapevines and aged for a specific period, are bright, layered, and complex, ably standing shoulder-to-shoulder with any of the world’s other great wines.
An additional factor in the success of Ribera & Rueda in the U.S. has been a creative marketing outreach partnering the RyR program with independent specialty retailers around the country. Exposure and sales at these influential shops have sparked awareness and loyalty for these wines. A robust social media program along with partnerships such as Kimpton Hotels, 1Hotels, or the Michael Mina group have further served to familiarize consumers with the regions.
Adds Olay: “There is a high level of satisfaction for us to be assisting these two iconic wine regions to finally receive the awareness and recognition they’ve earned over the years. Intense interest continues to grow among retailers to join in our program, and we’re speaking with additional restaurant and hotel groups to keep Ribera del Duero and Rueda on their upward trajectories.”
