Information
Landmark: Bodega La Rioja AltaCity: Bilbao
Country: Spain
Continent: Europe
Bodega La Rioja Alta, Bilbao, Spain, Europe
Overview
In Haro, at the very heart of Spain’s Rioja Alta, Bodega La Rioja Alta stands as one of the region’s most prestigious and storied wineries, where oak barrels line cool, dimly lit cellars.Since 1890, this family-run winery has built its reputation on quality and tradition, while still finding fresh ways to craft its wines-like aging a bold red in oak barrels that scent the air with vanilla.It’s best known for its fine red wines, most crafted from Tempranillo-the deep, ruby grape at the heart of every Rioja.Bodega La Rioja Alta traces its roots back to 1890, when five forward‑thinking Rioja winegrowers-among them the famed Juan de Arizá-joined forces, their hands stained deep red from the harvest.The winery began with a simple dream: to craft exceptional wines that capture the character of Rioja Alta’s sun-warmed soil.Decades later, it’s still in the same family’s hands and now stands among the region’s most respected producers.Its wines are now a hallmark of Rioja’s rich winemaking heritage.The winery sits in Haro, a sunlit town in the Rioja Alta sub-region of the Rioja Denomination of Origin.This region is known for its high-altitude vineyards, where cool mountain air and rich soil give the grapes layered aromas, vivid flavors, and a clean, balanced acidity.The winery tends its vines in Haro and nearby towns, growing Tempranillo, Graciano, Garnacha, and Mazuelo.They aim to craft wines that capture the region’s distinct character-ripe fruit layered with gentle oak and the promise to age gracefully.Bodega La Rioja Alta stays true to time‑honored methods, with a particular devotion to long, patient aging.The winery ages its wines in a mix of American and French oak barrels, drawing out hints of vanilla, warm spice, and a gentle toasted aroma.They take their time, letting each vintage rest slowly until it’s truly ready to be shared.Some of their finest wines spend years quietly maturing, picking up layers of complexity and deep, rich flavors.Viña Ardanza, the winery’s celebrated flagship, blends Tempranillo with Garnacha and rests for several years in oak barrels before it’s finally bottled.Viña Alberdi, made from Tempranillo, stands out for its elegance and fresh character, offering layers of ripe red fruit, warm spice, and a faint whiff of leather and tobacco that hint at its complexity, balance, and ability to age gracefully.It spends less time in oak than Viña Ardanza, giving it bright, juicy fruit, gentle tannins, and lively acidity.The Gran Reserva 904, one of the winery’s flagship bottles, blends Tempranillo and Graciano, then rests for years in oak and in the bottle before release.This wine is celebrated for its rich depth and layered complexity, unfolding notes of blackberry, worn leather, warm spice, and a whisper of oak.The winery’s cool, dimly lit cellars play a central role in bringing out those qualities.Beneath the ground, the wines rest for years in cool, damp cellars that protect their character and let their flavors deepen.The barrel room steals the show-hundreds of oak casks lined in neat rows, each cradling wine patiently waiting for its turn in the bottle.These barrels shape the very flavors and silky textures that set Bodega La Rioja Alta’s wines apart.On a guided tour, visitors wander through cool, dim cellars, hear the story of each vintage, and watch tradition meet modern craft in every step of the winemaking process.Tours often swing by the barrel room, where you can watch deep-red wine resting in oak and catch the warm scent of wood and fruit.Later, the winery pours tastings of its celebrated bottles, including Viña Ardanza, Viña Alberdi, and Gran Reserva 904.At tastings, you might chat about a wine’s character-its rich aromas, how it could age, and why its flavors matter-while Bodega La Rioja Alta also makes a point of embracing sustainability and caring for the land.The winery has poured resources into modern technology to shrink its environmental footprint, from energy‑saving systems to eco‑friendly vineyard methods.It’s always looking for ways to refine production without losing the rich quality and tradition that built its name in Rioja.Over the years, Bodega La Rioja Alta has gathered a shelf full of awards, firmly securing its place among the region’s leaders.Critics and wine journals around the world have given its wines top marks, and the winery is celebrated for honoring both quality and tradition.Viña Ardanza, in particular, stands out-experts praise its rich flavor and remarkable ability to age, securing its place among Spain’s finest.In Haro, the heart of Rioja wine country, a visit to Bodega La Rioja Alta lets you step into cellars steeped in over a century of winemaking heritage.The town boasts numerous renowned wineries, making it a must-visit for wine lovers.Just steps from Haro’s historic center, the winery invites guests to wander cobbled streets, sip in cozy wine bars, and savor rich local dishes with a glass of Rioja.Bodega La Rioja Alta remains a proud emblem of the region’s history, tradition, and craftsmanship.Founded over a century ago, the winery has grown into one of the region’s top producers, creating wines that carry the stony earth and sun-warmed air of La Rioja Alta in every sip.With its deep respect for tradition, dedication to quality, and careful aging in fragrant oak barrels, it’s a place wine lovers and fans of Spanish winemaking shouldn’t miss.Sip their bold, ruby-red wines or wander through the cool, stone-walled cellars-either way, a visit to Bodega La Rioja Alta stays with you.
