Rioja Alavesa

The Consejo Regulador traces Rioja's wine culture back to Ancient Rome. The Designation of Origin Rioja was created in 1925, with 1926 marking year one for the Control Board, and in 1991 Rioja became the first Qualified Designation of Origin (DOCa) awarded in Spain; Rioja Alavesa is one of its three zones. Decanter (2024) recounts that even before phylloxera pushed Bordeaux growers south, the Álava native Guillermo Hurtado de Amézaga, the Marqués de Riscal, was asked by the local Álava government to persuade growers to adopt Bordeaux methods in their vineyards, and sought the expertise of Jean Pineau, winemaker at Château Lanessan in the Haut-Médoc. Marqués de Riscal dates its own foundation to 1858; Decanter gives its first bottling as 1862, and the producer says it was the first non-French wine to win the diploma of honour at the Bordeaux Exhibition. Decanter (2024) adds that in the second half of the 19th century Bordeaux vignerons whose vineyards had been destroyed by phylloxera set up in Rioja, bringing practices that included ageing in 225-litre oak barriques. Most of Rioja Alavesa is part of the Basque Country, and Decanter (2024) reports that the Basque regional government has long requested control over those vineyards; the Asociación de Bodegas de Rioja Alavesa (ABRA) met the previous December to discuss taking its 100 member wineries out of the DOCa, but held no vote.

• 1925: Designation of Origin Rioja created; 1926: year one for the Control Board; 1991: first DOCa awarded in Spain (Consejo Regulador)
• Marqués de Riscal was founded in 1858 by Guillermo Hurtado de Amézaga (producer site), who brought in Jean Pineau of Château Lanessan (Decanter, 2024)
• Bordeaux vignerons hit by phylloxera brought ageing in 225-litre oak barriques to Rioja in the second half of the 19th century (Decanter, 2024)
• 18 of DOCa Rioja's 144 municipalities are in the Basque Country, per the Consejo Regulador (fetched September 2026)

According to the Consejo Regulador's zone page (fetched September 2026), Rioja Alavesa lies on the northeastern bank of the Ebro and extends over a little more than 300 km2 in the south of Álava. Its vineyards are on terraces or small plots, and the Sierra de Cantabria protects them from the cold and the humidity of the Cantabrian Sea. The Consejo describes a Foehn effect on the range that creates a dense cloud over the mountains and a favourable wind for the mostly south-oriented vineyards. The pliego de condiciones says Atlantic climate influence and clay-calcareous soils on terraces and small plots predominate in Rioja Alavesa, and that the protection of the Sierra de Cantabria to the north is even more decisive here than in Rioja Alta. The two Consejo texts differ in emphasis on climate: the zone page says the Atlantic climate brings more humidity and generally colder temperatures than in the other two zones, while the pliego says hours of sunlight are similar to Rioja Alta and rainfall somewhat lower. Decanter (2024) writes that vineyards follow the slopes into the Sierra Cantabria and that altitude plays a defining role in the character of the wines; Artadi places its vineyards at the foot of the Sierra de Toloño, at the heart of the Sonsierra Alavesa.

• Location: northeastern bank of the Ebro, a little more than 300 km2 in the south of Álava (Consejo Regulador, fetched September 2026)
• Soils: 95% clay-limestone, per the Consejo Regulador (fetched September 2026); Decanter (2024) describes most of the best vineyards as planted in terraces on iron-rich clay and limestone soils
• Shelter: the Sierra de Cantabria protects vineyards from the cold and humidity of the Cantabrian Sea and produces a Foehn effect (Consejo Regulador)
• Altitude: Decanter (2024) says it plays a defining role in the character of Alavesa wines

The Consejo Regulador calls the zone's balanced clay-limestone soil ideal for growing Tempranillo. Decanter (2024) lists Tempranillo, Garnacha, Mazuelo and Graciano as the zone's red varieties and Malvasía, Tempranillo Blanco and Viura as its whites, and gives 2022-vintage production of 80,644,931 kg of grapes, of which 73,665,032 kg were red and 6,979,899 kg white. Across the DOCa, the Consejo describes Tempranillo as occupying most of the plantation, Garnacha as standing out for its freshness and versatility, Graciano for its aromas, colour, acidity and intensity, and Mazuelo for its abundant tannins, high acidity and stable colour; Viura has been the predominant white grape in the DOCa since the 1970s. Artadi describes the Álava landscape as dotted with small Tempranillo and Viura vineyards, and Decanter (2024) notes a patchwork of smaller plots, many with vines 50 to 100+ years old. Decanter calls a carbonically macerated, youthful, fresh style of red the local speciality. The Consejo explains that lighter, younger and fruitier reds are fermented with whole grapes (carbonic maceration), destemmed, or a combination of both, while reds with more body and ageing potential are generally destemmed. The pliego describes Rioja Alavesa wines as versatile, suited both to more immediate drinking and to ageing, with average alcohol somewhat higher and acidity somewhat lower than in Rioja Alta.

• Red varieties in the zone: Tempranillo, Garnacha, Mazuelo and Graciano; whites: Malvasía, Tempranillo Blanco and Viura (Decanter, 2024)
• 2022 vintage: 80,644,931 kg of grapes, 73,665,032 kg red and 6,979,899 kg white (Decanter, 2024)
• Graciano is known for aromas, colour and acidity; Mazuelo for abundant tannins, high acidity and stable colour (Consejo Regulador, DOCa-wide)
• A carbonically macerated, youthful, fresh red is the local speciality, per Decanter (2024)

Marqués de Riscal's original bodega in Elciego was begun in 1860 by the engineer Ricardo Bellsolá, and El Palomar followed in 1883 in the style of the Bordeaux cellars, according to the producer. Its City of Wine was inaugurated in 2006, and the Hotel Marqués de Riscal, designed by Frank O. Gehry and clad in titanium, was inaugurated on 10 October 2006. Decanter (2015) places Bodegas Ysios beside Bodegas Ruiz de Viñaspre, in the foothills between Laguardia and the Cantabrian mountains, and describes its wave-like roof, designed by Santiago Calatrava to reflect the mountain backdrop, as having proved less waterproof than desired. Ysios's site (fetched September 2026) lists Singular Vineyards in Elvillar, including Finca Las Naves, 1.1 hectares planted before 1902 at 540 to 560 metres. Artadi dates its project to 1985, has been led by the Lacalle y Laorden family since 1992, and, per its site (fetched September 2026), has 56 hectares of vineyards in Laguardia and Elvillar de Álava at the foot of the Sierra de Toloño. Decanter reported in 2015 that, from the 2014 vintage, all Artadi wines would be labelled as Vino de Mesa, without the Rioja name or the official back label. Viñedos del Contino, one of CVNE's wineries, was founded in 1973, and CVNE calls it the first Rioja chateau concept winery; its former manor house stands at Laserna, in the municipality of Laguardia. Remelluri, in Labastida, is Telmo Rodríguez's family estate, founded by his father in the late 1960s (Decanter). Decanter (2024) names Remírez de Ganuza, Luis Cañas, Ostatu, Artadi and Contino among the Alavesa wineries that played a key role in Rioja's 'modernist' style in the 1980s, and Abel Mendoza, Artuke, Bodegas Bhilar and Telmo Rodríguez among the producers looking back to 'ancestral' Rioja.

• Marqués de Riscal (Elciego, founded 1858): original bodega begun 1860, El Palomar 1883, Gehry-designed hotel inaugurated 10 October 2006 (producer site)
• Bodegas Ysios: wave-like roof by Santiago Calatrava (Decanter, 2015); Singular Vineyards in Elvillar including Finca Las Naves, planted before 1902 (producer site)
• Artadi (project begun 1985): 56 hectares in Laguardia and Elvillar de Álava (producer site, fetched September 2026); wines labelled Vino de Mesa from the 2014 vintage, per Decanter (2015)
• Viñedos del Contino (Laserna, Laguardia, founded 1973): a CVNE winery; Remelluri (Labastida): Telmo Rodríguez's family estate, founded in the late 1960s (Decanter)

The Consejo Regulador presents Rioja Alavesa as an international benchmark in wine tourism, from megalithic monuments and Bronze Age sites to vineyard landscapes dotted with medieval villages and designer wineries. According to a legend recounted by Decanter (2015), King Sancho Abarca of Navarra founded La Guardia de Navarra on its hilltop in 908. The hill is riddled with tunnels, and Decanter describes Casa Primicia as the oldest property in the medieval hamlet, dating from the 15th century, with wine made on the site from the 16th century and the tunnels now serving as cellars for its own wines. In Elciego, the Marqués de Riscal City of Wine lets visitors trace the bodega's history from its foundation in 1858; it includes the Gehry-designed hotel, a fine dining restaurant under the Riojan chef Francis Paniego, and the Spa Vinothérapie Caudalie. Since 2017 the Consejo Regulador has recognised Vino de Municipio wines, which may carry the names of the DOCa's 144 municipalities on the label (Consejo Regulador, fetched September 2026), and Viñedo Singular wines, which require vineyards more than 35 years old, harvesting by hand and a second tasting rated excellent.

• Laguardia: founded as La Guardia de Navarra by King Sancho Abarca of Navarra in 908, according to legend (Decanter, 2015)
• Casa Primicia, Laguardia: a 15th-century property whose tunnels serve as cellars (Decanter, 2015)
• Marqués de Riscal City of Wine, Elciego: Gehry-designed hotel with 61 bedrooms, restaurants and a Caudalie vinotherapy spa (producer site, fetched September 2026)
• Vino de Municipio and Viñedo Singular categories recognised since 2017; Viñedo Singular requires vines over 35 years old and hand harvesting (Consejo Regulador, fetched September 2026)

Primary sources (Consejo Regulador DOCa Rioja and the named producers' own sites): https://riojawine.com/en-gb/production-areas/rioja-alavesa/, https://riojawine.com/en-gb/production-areas/, https://riojawine.com/en-gb/the-designation/history/, https://riojawine.com/en-gb/the-designation/grape-varieties/, https://riojawine.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/pliego-de-condiciones-am12-consolidado-15-02-2024.pdf, https://riojawine.com/en-gb/the-designation/classification/municipal-wines/, https://riojawine.com/en-gb/the-designation/types-of-wine/red-wines/, https://riojawine.com/en-gb/the-designation/, https://riojawine.com/en-gb/the-designation/classification/vinedo-singular-wine/, https://www.marquesderiscal.com/en/our-history, https://www.marquesderiscal.com/en/marques-de-riscal-hotel, https://www.marquesderiscal.com/en/the-marques-de-riscal-city-of-wine, https://www.marquesderiscal.com/en/winery, https://www.marquesderiscal.com/en/marques-de-riscal-reserva, https://bodegasysios.com/en/vineyards/, https://artadi.com/en/history/, https://artadi.com/en/vineyards/, https://artadi.com/en/wines/, https://cvne.com/en/wineries/vinedos-del-contino/, https://cvne.com/en/wines/contino-gran-reserva/, https://contino.es/en/. Secondary sources: https://www.decanter.com/premium/exploring-rioja-alavesa-531450/, https://www.decanter.com/wine/wine-regions/spain/the-push-for-rioja-crus-280026/, https://www.decanter.com/wine/wine-regions/spain/wine-trails-six-rioja-wineries-to-visit-280132/. Last verified 2026-09-28