The Rioja Exporters Group and the Control Board of the Rioja Denomination of Origin have announced they will be investing €2.5m (US$2.8m) in promoting Rioja wines in the UK, Germany, Mexico and Denmark by the end of 2003.

The organisations said the UK, which is the principal export market for Rioja, would account for the largest part of the marketing investment. Activities in the UK will include the opening of an information office in London and sponsoring a chefs’ competition organised by UK’s The Restaurant Association.

Rioja wineries are also to open a permanent information office in Germany and will organise a Rioja Day in Copenhagen on September 17, 2003. There is also to be a Rioja Wine Week to be held in Guadalajara, western Mexico, in November 2003.