La Rioja has always been popular for its wines, but with the likes of Frank Gehry, Santiago Calatrava and Zaha Hadid redesigning its bodegas, oenophiles are now flocking there in droves. Guy Fiorita reports
La Rioja, in northern Spain, has long been known for producing many of the country’s finest wines, but recently it has also become a place of pilgrimage for lovers of architecture. In less than a decade, international architects including Frank Gehry, Santiago Calatrava and Zaha Hadid have transformed the landscape, adding cutting-edge buildings of titanium, glass and steel to an area once dominated by cobblestones and wooden beams.
Of course, I had heard and read a lot about Gehry’s Marqués de Riscal hotel and spa in Elciego; it was what initially prompted my visit. But once I delved further, I discovered that this is just the beginning. In the past five years or so, in an effort to draw oenological tourists – something unheard of and even shunned until recently – nearly a dozen bodegas have either commissioned new wings or have opened entirely new buildings to house their wineries. So how do these modern marvels sit among the ancient landscape of rolling vineyards and medieval stone villages?
MARQUÉS DE RISCAL Elciego, Álava
Clearly the most famous of all, the Frank Gehry-designed hotel at Marqués de Riscal has moved the Bilbao effect of the Guggenheim south, drawing tourists from around the world. Looming above Elciego, which ironically means blind man in Spanish, the first view of the structure, seen as you enter the town, is breathtaking. There simply is no other word for it.
According to the architect, he wanted to “create something festive and exciting, because wine is about pleasure”, and he has certainly achieved the desired effect. From inside and out, every angle is different and all are uplifting. The hotel, with its mesh of coloured titanium ribbons in pink, gold and silver (the colours on bottles of Marqués de Riscal wines), sits like a joyful explosion next to the 19th-century bodega.
Inside are 43 guest rooms, 13 in the main building with windows that look out from under the titanium ribbons. There’s a restaurant headed by Michelin-starred chef Francisco Paniego, a bar, reading room and a Caudalie Vinotherapie spa. Shame the wines are no more than adequate. www.marquesderiscal.com
The Wines
Rosé
Marqués de Riscal Reserve
Grand Reserve
Barón de Chirel Red
In DO Rueda they produce Sauvignon white and Rueda Verdejo white
BODEGAS YSIOS Laguardia, Álava
For Bodegas Ysios, part of the Domecq group of wineries, architect Santiago Calatrava wanted to bring a bit of his beloved Mediterranean to the foothills of the Sierra de Cantabria mountain range. Seen from a distance the building does resemble waves on the sea with its undulating cedar walls topped with a series of folded aluminium slats that reflect the mountains behind. But that is only one view. Depending on the angle the vista changes. Standing directly in front, the line of the roof, together with its reflection in the pool that runs the length of the building, create a vision of six enormous barrels sitting among the vineyards, and as I get closer the entrance juts out above me like the bow of a ship that appears to be sailing on a sea of grapes.
Inside the building is just as impressive. The rippled cedar ceiling is visible throughout and, as my guide points out, the huge space “has not one single visible support. All the weight rests entirely on the exterior walls. The wave-like design helps to distribute the weight”. The wines themselves are fantastic, deep, brooding and long-ageing: this is the bodega for connoisseurs. www.bodegasysios.com
The Wines
Ysios Reserve
Ysios Reserve Limited Edition
BODEGAS JUAN ALCORTA Logroño, Rioja
On first sight there is little to see at Bodegas Juan Alcorta, also part of the Domecq group. In fact, I was originally a little disappointed, especially after getting lost on my drive in an ugly industrial zone just outside the city Logroño. From the outside the bodega looked like it was not going to be worth the effort. The two small cube-like structures in front of me were not very inspiring.
The irony is that, according to architect Ignacio Quemada, “Everything was designed to accommodate the visitor.” The entire building is cut deep into the side of a hill so that from the front very little is seen. This in itself is an incredible feat considering that I am now standing on top of one of the largest bodegas in the world with an ageing room that holds more than 70,000 barrels, which in itself is a sight to see. The wines of Alcorta, which like others in the region are based mainly on the Tempranillo grape variety, are soft and very approachable. www.domecqbodegas.com
The Wines
Alcorta Crianza
Alcorta Reserve
LÓPEZ DE HEREDIA VIÑA TONDONIA Haró, Rioja
Maria José López de Heredia commissioned the world's greatest woman architect, Zaha Hadid, to design a new pavilion to house the wine shop, a tasting room and above all to serve as a showplace for an ornate carved wooden bar that her great grandfather took to the 1910 Universal Exhibition in Brussels.
The result greets the visitor upon entry and sits in stunning contrast to the 19th-century winery behind it. The white structure is shaped like a slightly deformed wine decanter with an interior straight out of a science fiction film. Inside, after my tour of the old winery, I find Maria José in the shop where we are able to have a quick chat. “Of course, I liked the fact that she is a woman,” she says, “and I think she was also intrigued by the fact that I was running a business normally dominated by men. But I did not do this thinking of it in terms of marketing. I have to admit, it is nice to have a Hadid at my door. It’s kind of like owning a Picasso.” The wines are prized for their concentration and depth. www.lopezdeheredia.com
The Wines
Viña Tondonia White Reserve
López de Heredia Rosé Reserve
Viña Bosconia Red Reserve
Viña Tondonia Red Reserve
Viña Tondonia Gran Reserve
VIÑA REAL Laguardia, Álava
From a distance the bodega looks like someone has sunk an enormous oak vat halfway into the ground. Actually the building is covered in Canadian red cedar but the effect is the same. Designing a winery that looks like a huge barrel may seem a bit obvious but the view certainly is impressive and, as it turns out, the shape was conceived for the purpose of efficiently producing the wine, not its symbolism.
The barrel is the work of French architect Philippe Mazières, whose circular design is an integral part of the winemaking process. Inside, towering 17 metres above the glass floor, a giant mechanical arm delivers the grapes into a series of steel tanks lining the walls below, moving along the circular wall as needed. Outside, two enormous caverns have been bored into the side of the mountain and now serve as the ageing area for nearly 22,000 barrels. The red Riojas here are perfect for traditionalists. www.cvne.com
The Wines
Viña Real White, Crianza
Reserve and Grand Reserve
BODEGAS DARIEN Logroño, Rioja
Architect Jesús Marino Pascual got his inspiration for Bodegas Darien by observing the form made by rocks jutting out of the slopes and steep banks within the vineyards. The building therefore resembles a group of boulders piled on top of each other in an uneven fashion. The visit is a hi-tech, highly informative event which includes several stops to watch films with detailed explanations of the winemaking process. www.darien.es
The Wines
Darien Rosé, Crianza, Reserve and Delius Special Reserve
BODEGAS BAIGORRI Samaniego, Álava
Local architect Inaki Aspiazu’s zinc-and-glass, cube-shaped Bodegas Baigorri sits starkly atop a hill overlooking miles and miles of vineyards. The huge glass box is used as the reception area for the guided tour of the winery. All else is below, dug deep into the side of the hill.
Aspiazu’s idea is to cut machines out of the process by using gravity in every stage of the elaboration of the wines. Therefore the next stage of the process is always one flight below, until the wines reach their final resting place some 20m underground.
At the far end of the lowest level – in front of a huge glass wall with impressive views of the vineyards and nearby mountains – is an exclusive restaurant serving a seasonal menu accompanied by four of the estate’s wines. These are fresh, fruity, modern-style Riojas. www.bodegasbaigorri.com
The Wines
Baigorri White, Rosé, Crianza, Reserve and De Garage 2002
You will need to reserve in advance to visit any of the above bodegas. Most offer wine tasting after the tour and all have a shop selling their wines and other related products such as glasses, corkscrews, etc. The best time to visit, of course, is during harvest which takes place in October when the fields burst into colour like a low-lying New England autumn.
THE FOOD
La Rioja is not a haute cuisine hotbed. It’s more like Spain’s version of Tuscany. Good food served in rustic dining halls is the order of the day. That is not to say that there are no Michelin stars among the vines but if you are looking for foams and fusions you’ve come to the wrong place. If a hearty stew or a perfectly grilled piece of fish or meat is what you fancy, then La Rioja won’t let you down.
EL PORTALÓN
Set in a 15th-century coach house they serve fresh grilled meat and fish dishes
along with Basque specialties like cod cheeks al pil pil. Correría 151, Vitoria; +34 954 142 755; www.restauranteelportalon.com
EL BODEGÓN
Traditional regional cuisine in the centre of the medieval town of Laguardia.
The heart of wine country, the city is literally built on a honeycomb of wine
cellars. In fact, there are so many that cars are not allowed in the old town as
it is feared the vibrations might sink the entire city. Travesía Santa Engracia 3,
Laguardia; +34 945 600 793
HOTEL MARQUÉS DE RISCAL
Dining in the restaurant is the next best thing to getting a room. The cuisine of José Ramón Piñeiro, under the guiding eye of Michelin-starred chef Francisco Paniego, is worthy of its spectacular location. Dishes are well conceived and presented, with special note to the colourful Frank Gehry Eggs with its ribbons of gold, silver and copper. Torrea 1, Elciego; +34 945 606 590; www.marquesderiscal.com
VENTA MONCALVILLO
Ten minutes outside of Logroño on a rural road amid lush vegetation I ran across this hidden gem offering top-rated cuisine and service. It’s run by the Echapresto brothers, with Ignacio in the kitchen preparing a menu based on the finest local ingredients, and Carlos handling the dining room and acting as sommelier, overseeing an extensive wine list. Crta Medrano 6, Daroca de Rioja;
Tel: +34 941 444 832; www.ventamoncalvillo.com
EL PORTAL DEL ECHAURREN
The home court of the man behind the cuisine at Hotel Marqués de Riscal,
Francisco Paniego’s El Portal del Echaurren is the only Michelin-starred restaurant in La Rioja. Set in the Hotel Echaurren, the family-owned property, which holds another more rustic cuisine venue, El Portal, serves updated versions of typical local recipes. The four-course tasting menu for €70 (£55) is highly recommended. Padre José García 19, Ezcaray; +34 941 354 047; www.echaurren.com
WHERE TO STAY
HOTEL MARQUÉS DE RISCAL
It may start to feel like overkill but there is no way we could leave this off of our list of recommended places to stay. Enough has been said above but suffice it to say that you should make your reservation well in advance because the hotel has become a tourist attraction in its own right and with just 43 rooms it fills up quickly. www.marquesderiscal.com
HOTEL ANTIGUA BODEGA DE DON COSME PALACIO
Quite possibly the longest name in the world, the hotel is an ode to wine – which isn’t surprising given the fact that the hotel is actually a restored bodega. Each of the 13 rooms is named after a variety of grape – I stayed in the Chardonnay room – and all are bright, spacious, individually decorated and come equipped with telephone, TV and wireless internet connection. www.habarcelo.es
SEÑORIO DE CASALARRIENA
Set in a Dominican Monastery that dates back to 1509, the hotel has 15 fully equipped, individually decorated and above all very large rooms with massive bathrooms. Ideal for those looking to immerse themselves in La Rioja of yesteryear. www.hotelesconencanto.org
TOURIST OFFICES
Álava Tourist office: www.alavaturismo.com
Rioja Tourist Office: www.lariojaturismo.com
WINE TOURS
A number of companies will organise wine tours including visits to the bodegas, accommodation, meals and transportation. One of the best is a private firm called, The Wine Route of La Rioja Alavesa. www.rutadelvinoderiojaalavesa.com
