page_title: Denominación de origen
section_title: Definition
hierarchical_section_title: Denominación de origen / Definition
caption_attribution_description: Spanish Tempranillo based wine from the Rioja region
context_page_description: The denominación de origen is part of a regulatory classification system used primarily for Spanish wines but also for other foodstuffs such as cheeses, condiments, honey, and meats, among others. In wines, it parallels the hierarchical systems of France and Italy, although Rioja and Jerez preceded the full system. In foods, it performs a similar role, namely regulation of quality and geographical origin among Spain's finest producers. There are five other designated categories solely for wine and a further three specifically covering food and condiments, all recognised by the European Union. In Catalonia, two further categories – labelled A and Q – cover traditional Catalan artisan food products, but were not recognised by the EU as of 2007. In recent decades, the concept of the denominación de origen has been adopted by other countries, primarily in Latin America. In 2016, the use of the term Denominación de Origen was updated to Denominación de Origen Protegida by The Spanish Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food; the traditional term of DO can still be used legally on labels, but it will eventually be replaced by DOP.
context_section_description: The Spanish Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAPA – Ministerio de Agricultura, Pesca y Alimentación) regulates the quality of Spanish foodstuffs via a labelling system which establishes, among other things, a denominación de origen for the country's highest quality produce. A semi-autonomous governing body (Consejo Regulador) exists for each region and for each food type, comprising skilled, impartial members who investigate the quality, ingredients and production process of each product, ensuring they attain specific quality levels. They report to a central council at national government level but are normally based in the largest population centre of a given region and are responsible for enforcing its geographical limits. Products labelled denominación de origen, apart from being of superior quality, are expected to carry specific characteristics of geographical region or individual producer and be derived from raw materials originating within the region. Like most of these designations, a fundamental tenet of a DO label is that no product outside of that region is permitted to bear the name.
caption: A Reserva level Rioja DOCa
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