Wine Tasting in La Rioja

 

La Rioja is one of the most famous wine regions in Spain. The area produces Tempranillo grapes for classic Spanish red wines.

 

Marqués de Riscal

Marques de Riscal is the oldest, most traditional, and most iconic winery in the region.

The winery dates back to 1860 and still carries its traditions while representing the future.

Together with the vineyard, winery, and hotel, Marques de Riscal created a City of Wine. The aim is to promote wine, its history, culture, and philosophy.

Following the success of the Guggenheim in Bilbao, the winery sought out Frank Gehry, the famed architect, to design their hotel.

Gehry initially declined. While on vacation, he visited the toured winery and tasted the signature wines. The winery and wines did its magic, and he agreed to the project. The hotel’s outer design is Gehry’s interpretation of a red wine bottle.

In order to visit the hotel, you must be a guest or dine in one of the restaurants.

 

Marqués de Riscal Winery Tour and Tasting

To tour the winery, reservations are required (which can be booked via their website). For 12 euros, guests learn about the vineyard and the winery. The 90-minute tour concludes with a tasting of two signature wines. Tours are offered in Spanish, English, French, Italian, and German. Private tours and tasting can also be arranged.

TripAdvisor reviews and photos of Bodegas Marques de Riscal

 

Marques de Riscal in La Rioja
View of the vineyard, the winery, and the hotel designed by Frank Gehry, with the inspiration of a red wine bottle
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Grapes almost ready for harvest. Full, lush, and hopeful for a good year
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The visitors center. Reservations are required to tour the winery which includes a tasting of two wines
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Warehouse. The equipment for the grapes ready for the harvest. After the grapes are cleaned and sorted, they enter the warehouse
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Where the magic happens. Beautiful and massive wooden barrels fermenting the wines
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Barrels aging before the bottling process. Rooms after rooms of barrels of wine aging
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The VIP bottles aging for years. Every bodega and wine cellar around the world has a special vault to age extra special bottles
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The best part of the tour – the tasting! Glasses are ready for the tours which run all day
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Our tour guide pouring the tastes of a white wine and of a red wine
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2012 Rueda Verdejo. Starting with the crisp white wine grown in another wine region in Spain and produced under the Marques de Riscal label
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2008 Reserva Rioja. Followed by their known red label. During the tasting you learn about the Spanish system of labeling wine bottles
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The tastes to enjoy at our leisure. After the pours and discussion of the aromas and tastes, you can leisurely sip the rest of the wine while enjoying the tasting room
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The wine shop. Following the tasting, you are encouraged to browse around the shop for bottles and souvenirs

 

Marques de Riscal | Website | TripAdvisor
Torrea, 1
El Ciego, Alava, Araba, Spain
+34-945-180-888
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