Rioja Takes New York

NEW YORK, March 25, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Everyone is invited to explore the celebrated fruits of Spain's most renowned wine region during the inaugural Rioja Week in New York City, beginning Saturday, April 26. Dozens of festivities will make a splash across the city and will culminate with the first-ever Rioja Wine & Tapas Festival on Saturday, May 3, in Brooklyn.

Rioja has become an international sensation and one of the top leading wine regions of the world; today, Rioja is one of the most exciting and talked about regions, known for its excellent quality at tremendous value. Among the international awards the region has received, just last year, a Rioja wine was named "Best Wine of the Year" by Wine Spectator, the first time a Spanish winery has ever earned that coveted award. And during the past year, U.S. sales of Rioja wines increased by nearly 20 percent.

Rioja Week will kick off with tasting events, flights, food pairings and special discounts in restaurants and retail shops around New York City. Media and trade activities are also scheduled, including the largest Grand Tasting and Seminar ever in the history of Rioja in the U.S., where 90 wineries will showcase their wines at this top tier event.

The finale – the Rioja Wine & Tapas Festival – will allow guests to experience 200-plus vibrant wines from Rioja, ranging from Blancos to Rosados to Gran Reservas, and everything in between. With over 40 top Rioja winemakers and representatives on hand to speak about the wines, no question will go unanswered.

Meanwhile, 25 notable U.S. chefs will create their interpretations of Rioja-inspired tapas. Guests will be able to visit the Paella Garden, sample delicious hams at the jamon bar and savor some of Spain's best cheeses in the cheese cave. During the seminars, Rioja experts will enlighten guests about the richness of the region.

The venue for this gastronomic event will be the newly opened and award-winning Weylin B. Seymour's, formally the Williamsburgh Savings Bank. The Landmarks Preservation Commission has named it "one of the most monumental spaces surviving in New York from the Post-Civil War era." The building also is designated as a New York City Landmark and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

"We are thrilled to share the flavor and lifestyle of our region during Rioja Week," said Luis Alberto Lecea, President of Rioja DOCa. "Rioja wine and tapas is such an integral part of Spain – to have New York City welcome us with open arms proves that the U.S. consumer is just as passionate about our wines and food as we are."

Tickets are $55, with proceeds benefitting culinary scholarships at the James Beard Foundation. To purchase your tickets, please visit: www.RiojaWineandTapasFestival.com.

For more information about Rioja Week, please visit www.RiojaWine.com.  For media inquiries please contact Rebekah Polster, 646-218-6039, [email protected].

About Rioja
Located in north central Spain, Rioja is considered one of the greatest red wine regions of the world. Rioja reds are blended predominantly with the indigenous tempranillo grape from one of the region's three subzones— Rioja Alta, Rioja Baja and Rioja Alavesa. The D.O.Ca. Rioja administers highly sophisticated and stringent quality control in the winemaking process, from viniculture to bottling. More than 200 brands from Rioja are available for purchase in the U.S. For more information, please visit www.RiojaWine.com.

SOURCE Rioja