🏷️ DOCa / DOQ
Spanish traditional term for a PDO wine from a denomination that meets extra requirements beyond the ordinary denominación de origen.
DOCa (denominación de origen calificada) is a traditional term of Spanish wine law. Under Law 6/2015 it may appear only on wine with a protected designation of origin (PDO) that meets the requirements of an ordinary "denominación de origen" plus further ones.
First, the denomination must have used the term "denominación de origen" for at least 10 years. Second, the wines must be marketed only in bottles, from wineries registered with the denomination's management body and located inside its delimited area. Third, the analytical and tasting checks of the annual inspection must be carried out systematically on homogeneous lots of limited volume.
The registered wineries must be independent and separated from unregistered premises by at least a public road. They may receive only grapes from registered vineyards, or must and wine from other registered wineries of the same denomination, and may make or bottle only wine entitled to it. Within each municipality of the production area the land suitable for DOCa wines must be mapped. The law itself refers to the regulatory council of the DOCa Rioja.
How it connects to Wine
🏷️ DOCa / DOQ → kind of → 🏷️ Protected designation of origin (wine) → kind of → 🏷️ Wine classifications → kind of → 🍷 Wine
How it connects to Food labels & standards
🏷️ DOCa / DOQ → kind of → 🏷️ Protected designation of origin (PDO) → kind of → 🏷️ How to read a food label
Links
- Part of
- 🏷️ Protected designation of origin (wine), 🏷️ Protected designation of origin (PDO)
- Where it applies
- 🗺️ Spanish wine
- Similar and different
- 🍷 Clarete, 🏷️ DO (Spain)
- What defines it?
- Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 on the common market organisation
Frequently asked questions
What does DOCa mean?
Denominación de origen calificada: a Spanish traditional term for PDO wine from a denomination that meets extra requirements beyond a plain denominación de origen.
What must a denomination have to use DOCa?
Under Law 6/2015 it must have used the term "denominación de origen" for at least 10 years, and its wines must be sold only in bottles from registered wineries inside the delimited area.
How is DOCa different from DO?
DOCa adds requirements: 10 years as a DO, bottling in registered wineries within the area, systematic lot-by-lot analytical and tasting checks, separate wineries and mapped suitable land.
Guides
What to read next
- Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 on the common market organisation — The EU market law that defines product names and categories for wine, olive oil and dairy, wine labelling and wine PDO/PGI. Applies from 1 January 2014.
- 🏷️ DO (Spain) — The Spanish traditional term for a wine with a protected designation of origin.
- 🍷 Clarete — A Spanish wine type; in the DOP Bierzo specification, clarete is made from 40% to 60% red grapes, the rest white.
Similar
🏷️ Vino de Pago · 🏷️ Vino de Calidad con Indicación Geográfica · 🏷️ DOC (Portugal) · 🏷️ DOC (Italy) · 🏷️ DO (Spain) · 🏷️ DOCG
⚠️ Wine contains alcohol: adults only, drink in moderation. Wine usually contains sulphites; egg white or milk proteins are sometimes used for fining — important for allergies and for vegans.
Sources
- Wikidata
- Ley 6/2015, de 12 de mayo, de Denominaciones de Origen e Indicaciones Geográficas Protegidas de ámbito territorial supraautonómico, disposición adicional tercera — BOE-A-2015-5288