What does DOCa mean?

DOCa, Denominación de Origen Calificada, is Spain's highest designation of origin, held only by Rioja and Priorat.

Also known as: Denominación de Origen Calificada, DOQ

DOCa stands for Denominación de Origen Calificada and is the highest tier of Spain's regional designations of origin. Only two areas hold it: Rioja, the first in 1991, and Priorat in Catalonia. In Catalan the level is called DOQ, Denominació d'Origen Qualificada, and that is the abbreviation found on labels from Priorat.

To become DOCa an area must have been a DO for at least ten years. The rules are stricter than for a regular DO, including controls on origin, yields and bottling.

Rioja and Priorat are very different. Rioja is large and dominated by tempranillo, with a long tradition of oak ageing and terms such as Crianza, Reserva and Gran Reserva. Priorat is small, with steep terraces of the slate soil known as llicorella and wines mainly from garnacha and cariñena.

In the EU, DOCa counts as a protected designation of origin, DOP, just like DO. The designation tells you about rules and origin, but not the style of every individual wine.