Welcome to the Rioja travel guide, your passport to an unforgettable experience in one of Spain’s most renowned wine destinations. Rioja absolutely blew me away with its beauty, and it was a highlight of our trip to Spain. From the mind-blowing volume to the incredible wines to the beautiful scenery, this wine region is sure to steal your heart.
This post unveils the secrets of this captivating region, with tips about where to stay, what to expect, and the must-visit wineries. Whether you’re a seasoned wine enthusiast or a curious traveller, get all the tips and tricks to make your journey truly exceptional.
Rioja travel guide: An overview
Nestled in Spain’s northern landscape, Rioja is a wine region steeped in history, tracing its roots to Roman times. La Rioja, the autonomous community it calls home, boasts lush vineyards along the Ebro River, cultivating varietals like Tempranillo and Garnacha.
Rioja’s winemaking journey spans centuries, starting with the first Phoenician settlers in 11th century BC. This influx of expertise led to the region’s distinct aging processes, with oak-barrel aging imparting a velvety complexity to its wines.
Geographically, Rioja is divided into Rioja Alavesa, Rioja Alta, and Rioja Baja, each contributing a unique terroir to a diverse range of wines, from bold and robust to elegantly nuanced.
To embark on your Rioja journey, Logrono, the capital serves as a gateway rich in history and culture. For convenient access, Bilbao and Zaragoza are the nearest major airports. Explore vine-covered landscapes at your pace by car, revealing hidden gems along winding roads.
Understanding Rioja classifications
The Rioja wine region, known for its exceptional craftsmanship, classifies its wines into several categories, each reflecting distinct aging processes and quality standards. These classifications play a pivotal role in guiding both winemakers and enthusiasts through the diverse offerings of Rioja wines.
- Rioja denotes wines that undergo a minimum aging period before release. These can be enjoyed young, showcasing the vibrant fruit flavours characteristic of the region.
- Crianza wines undergo more extended aging, with a minimum of one year in oak barrels and another in the bottle. This results in wines that exhibit greater complexity and structure, striking a balance between youthful exuberance and refined maturity.
- Reserva, where wines age for a minimum of three years, with at least one year spent in oak barrels. This category represents a step towards premium quality, as the extended aging imparts depth and character.
- Gran Reserva classification, reserved for wines aged a minimum of five years, with two spent in oak barrels. These are Rioja’s most prestigious offerings, showcasing the region’s capacity for producing wines of unparalleled elegance and age-worthiness.
These classifications not only define the aging process but also serve as a testament to Rioja’s commitment to quality. Winemakers adhere to stringent rules, ensuring that each bottle embodies the rich heritage and distinctive characteristics of the Rioja wine region.
A note on wines labelled Rioja
You would be forgiven for thinking that wines with the green Roja label are the lowest quality wines. But this isn’t the case, and we learnt a lot about this from the wineries we visited. The rules in Rioja are quite strict, but a lot of winemakers want to experiment with the wines they produce with different ageing, grape varieties and production. So they often use the green Rioja label to still produce wines without following strict rules. This allows them to innovate and explore new ways of producing wine.
This means the Green label does not mean the wine is the lowest quality. Some wines with a green label can be aged for just as long as a Gran Reserva. It just means they don’t have to follow the strict rules. So don’t miss trying these experimental wines!
Rioja grape varieties
A few grape varieties are produced in Rioja, but only a few are allowed in Rioja wines. At the heart of Rioja’s identity stands Tempranillo, a red grape with a thick skin and moderate acidity, lending its characteristic dark berry flavours and subtle earthy notes to the wines. This grape thrives in the distinct microclimates of Rioja Alta, Rioja Alavesa, and Rioja Baja, adapting and expressing uniquely in each subzone.
Alongside Tempranillo, Rioja embraces the indigenous varieties of Garnacha (Grenache), Graciano, and Mazuelo, each adding its distinct flair to the wines. Garnacha imparts a generous fruitiness, Graciano contributes vibrant acidity, and Mazuelo offers structure and depth. These traditional grape varieties, carefully blended, create the harmonious symphony that defines Rioja wines.
There are also some exceptions to these grape varieties. Some wineries are permitted to use a little Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot and still call their wine a Rioja. However, it can’t be listed on the label.
Rioja travel guide: when to visit
There isn’t a bad time to visit Rioja, as I’m sure you will have a great time any time of year. Great wine, delicious food, what’s not to love? However, in this Rioja travel guide, I recommend the time we visited: late September. We arrived right amid harvest, and it was simply incredible. The scenery was stunning, and the towns were alive with activity. I can’t tell you how exciting it was to see all the tractors driving around with trailers full of grapes. At the end of September, there is also the Wine Harvest Festival in Logrono, which lasts about a week. We went there for a morning, and participating in the festivities was so much fun.
Rioja travel guide: where to stay
When considering where to stay in Rioja, two key locations emerge as excellent bases for exploring the region’s wineries and savouring its culinary delights: Haro and Logroño. Haro, nestled in the heart of Rioja Alta, boasts an array of renowned wineries, with the historic Barrio de la Estación housing some of the oldest and most prestigious bodegas. Meanwhile, Logroño, the capital of La Rioja, offers a vibrant urban experience with a myriad of tapas bars, restaurants, and wine cellars in its charming old town. Both locations provide convenient access to the diverse vineyards of Rioja, ensuring that you can seamlessly navigate the wine trails while enjoying the local gastronomy.
We didn’t stay in either of these towns but I think when I go back I’d love to stay in Haro. There are a number of wineries there and I think it would have made a great base. But for our first trip, I highly recommend where we stayed!
During our stay in Rioja, we stayed at Hotel Viura, a gem nestled in the village of Villabuena de Álava. This unique hotel, with its contemporary design and architecture, seamlessly integrates into the picturesque landscape. There aren’t really any restaurants in the local village but luckily the hotel has an on-site restaurant boasting a diverse menu featuring regional delicacies paired with an impressive selection of local wines. The breakfast was also awesome! It was really special staying in a hotel in such a unique position, and the staff were great. They also have a daily wine tour that they organize with a few of the wineries around the local town which I highly recommend!
Rioja travel guide: Activities
It wouldn’t be a Rioja travel guide without a few activities to enjoy. So here are some of the things we did (other than drinking wine) while we were there. As a side note, we were only there for 2 nights, so I’m sure if you had more time you’d be able to cover a lot more ground than what we did. But here are a few things we enjoyed.
Visit Logroño
A visit to Logroño, the vibrant capital of La Rioja, is a sensory journey through Spanish culture, culinary delights, and festive traditions. A highlight is Calle del Laurel, the city’s famous tapas street, which has so many tapas bars you won’t even know where to start. Each is full of people enjoying a glass of wine and a tapas or two. The best part is that each one has its own speciality tapas so you can hop from bar to bar trying a few different things. It’s a must-do when you visit the city, and where you’ll find the most lively atmosphere.
For those fortunate enough to visit in late September, Logroño’s streets transform into a kaleidoscope of colour and energy during the annual Harvest Festival, or Fiesta de la Vendimia. This celebration marks the culmination of the grape harvest, and the city bursts into life with parades, concerts, and, of course, an abundance of wine. The festive spirit spills into every corner, from the lively Plaza del Mercado to the historic streets, creating an unforgettable backdrop for the harvest season.
Laguardia
Visiting Laguardia is like stepping into a medieval dream within the heart of Spain’s Rioja wine region. Our hotel recommended visiting this town and I’m so glad we did. Laguardia is a walled town perched atop a hill surrounded by vineyards. As you wander through its cobblestone streets, you’ll encounter well-preserved medieval architecture, including the imposing Church of Santa María and the town’s iconic defensive walls. Beyond its historical allure, Laguardia is a haven for wine enthusiasts, with numerous underground cellars, offering guided tours and tastings of the region’s renowned wines. Unfortunately, we visited on a day when not many of them were open, but this didn’t stop us from sampling the wine in a great tapas bar. The panoramic views of the surrounding vineyard-covered landscapes from Laguardia are breathtaking, providing a picturesque backdrop to the immersive cultural and culinary experiences that await in this idyllic Spanish gem.
Vivanco Museum of Wine Culture
We were meant to visit Vivanco for a wine tasting and the wine museum but we ended up having a schedule clash, so could only do the museum. But I have to say regardless this is a definite must-do when you visit Rioja. Not only does it provide a great history of Rioja, but it’s also the most comprehensive museum of wine I have ever been to. They had everything from old presses to the most corkscrews I’ve ever seen in one place. The museum is also beautifully laid out with different sections for each element of the winemaking process. You could easily spend hours here learning about wine in this beautiful space. They also have a grape garden outside where you can try all the different varieties of grapes! Honestly it is such a great experience to visit here even if you don’t get a chance to sample their wines.
Rioja travel guide: Wineries to visit
It wouldn’t be a Rioja travel guide without highlighting some of the wineries we visited and that I recommend including in your trip. We only had one full day in Rioja which wasn’t enough, but these three wineries were definite highlights.
Marques de Riscal
If you’ve been looking into Rioja you have likely seen the famous Marques de Riscal building as it is truly iconic. Designed by renowned architect Frank Gehry, it is a hotel unlike any I’ve ever seen before. Personally, it wasn’t in our budget to stay there, but the wine tour gave us a good glimpse of the building along with the winery.
Marques de Riscal is one of the major producers in Rioja and so a tour of their winery is incredible to see a winery producing at such a large scale. And you really get to see it all from the vineyards to the fermentation room to the incredible ageing cellars all the way to the bottling area. You learn so much on the tour and despite being a more commercial winery, I think it is definitely worth a visit. It was probably my favourite winery that we visited on the trip.
Ysios
Ysios is worth visiting just to see the cellar door alone. The building is probably one of the most interesting buildings I’ve ever seen, and the scale is just something you can’t comprehend from photos. It’s worth going just for the view alone! We weren’t able to get into a tour when we visited (so I recommend booking well in advance) but they do have a wine store where you can purchase a glass of wine to enjoy in their barrel room. I loved having a glass of their wine surrounded by the barrels – it was something really unique!
Bodegas Luis Cañas
We visited Bodegas Luis Cañas as part of the wine tour organised by our hotel and had a great time. Although we weren’t able to get in for a full tour the wine tasting in their tasting room was great. We learnt a lot about the history behind the winery, and also about Rioja wines in general. They also took us through the key areas of Rioja and what sets them apart. I absolutely loved the tasting as I found it to be really educational, and the staff were so friendly. It’s definitely worth a visit if you want to go to a smaller winery (and by smaller I still mean 2 million bottles a year).
In summary: Rioja travel guide
I hope this Rioja travel guide has helped to inspire your next trip. There really is so much to discover when it comes to Rioja, so planning your trip is essential to get the most out of it. I personally cannot wait to get back there and spend more time in this iconic wine region as I feel like two days definitely wasn’t enough. But whether you have 2 days or 10, you are sure to have a good time in La Rioja!