“The United States cannot be abandoned, we must adapt”

He 15% tariff that Brussels agreed with Trump and that, since this summer, it weighs on a large number of Spanish agri-food products, including wine, it is already part of the landscape and this is what the sector is assuming. In a meeting with the media to present an economic impact study, the president of the Regulatory Council of the Ribera del Duero Protected Designation of Origin (DOP Ribera del Duero) Enrique Pascual, has pointed out about the United States (where they exported in 2024 worth 20 million euros) that “It is a market that cannot be abandoned” and has acknowledged that, at first, “importers had hoarded product” due to uncertainty. In this sense, it has referred to the end of the year to see how this market evolves. At the moment, according to a report carried out with PwC, this Denomination contributes 1,330 million euros to the Spanish economy every year and generates almost 21,000 jobs.

For Miguel Ángel Gayubo, president of the Ribera del Duero Wine Route Consortium, we must “put much more effort into this market, since they recognize quality” and has asked public administrations for help. In this regard, the general director of Bodegas Prado del Rey Fernando Rodríguez, has spoken of “a two-speed economy in the United States“In Miami, the sale of premium wines is even growing by double digits in some references.” However, he added, in the case of consumers with lower incomes and young people, Spanish exporters “are going to suffer the most.”

The future is played in Mexico

The Denomination also agrees that a large part of the future is played further south in the United States, in Mexico. A market to which Ribera del Duero exported worth 22 million euros the last year. In this regard, the general director of Bodegas Prado del Rey Fernando Rodríguez highlights that the Central American country “is emerging from two difficult years of SCE Law after the pandemic and is now rebounding.” It should be noted that Ribera del Duero has in The United States is its third export marketbehind Switzerland (30 million euros sold in 2024), followed by Mexico. Behind the US market and, far behind, United Kingdom (9.8 million), Germany (9.2 million) and Denmark (6.9 million). Mature destinations such as the Netherlands (5.3 million) are also growing significantly. All this, at an export price 3.9 times above the world average (3.6 euros/liter) to almost 14 euros per liter.

Economic impact of the DO

Beyond exports to the United States, the Denomination presented this Wednesday an economic impact report prepared in collaboration with the consulting firm Price Waterhouse Coopers (PWC). In this analysis it is estimated that this DO contributes to the Spanish economy each year 1,330 million eurosif wine tourism is added. and all the indirect impact of this last activity in sectors such as hospitality. This represents 1.9% of the GDP of Castill y León and a generation of employment that 20,916 jobs. Of which, more than 5,000 would be related to the production activity in the wineries and more than a hundred with wine tourism.

The second most visited wine route in Spain

The report estimates that for every liter of wine produced, 18.4 euros of GDP are generated in the Spanish economy, although three quarters of all this economic impact – some 900 million euros – remains in Castilla y León. Regarding wine tourism, the ‘Ribera del Duero Wine’ Route consolidates itself as the second most visited in Spain, managing to attract more than 381,000 visitors last year with an average expenditure of 179 euros per day. In the study presented today, it is estimated that most of this outlay was distributed between restaurants (45 euros per day), accommodation (43 euros) and the purchase of wine (39 euros). Next are entrances to wineries (19 euros per day). In total, wine tourists spent 68 million euros last year in Ribera del Duero.

Gayubo (Ribera del Duero Wine Route Consortium) highlighted that “when we launched the route in In 2010 there were 50 services and 15 years later there are almost 300 services. More restaurants and wine bars have joined in… Establishments for more than 40 people have even opened.” In his opinion, behind a bottle of wine “There is a lot of work and a lot of people” that through this product they contribute to the territory in terms such as sustainability or the establishment of the population. The president of the Ribera del Duero Wine Route Consortium added that “we will continue to increase synergies with other public administrations and fine wine routes.”

According to the analysis carried out by PWC together with the Regulatory Council of the Denomination, the pairing between wine and tourism is very lucrative for both parties. Just last year, This activity generated an impact of almost 80 million euros annually In Castilla y León, not so much because of the direct contribution of wine-growing activity, wine purchases and visits to museums or wineries contributed 9 million euros to the local economy, but because of its drive for other activities such as hospitality and hotels or tourist accommodations. Specifically, the report concludes that the consumption of each tourist willing to taste the wines of Ribera del Duero contributes 585 euros per person to the economy.