Great Escapes: Wine and Dine Among Medieval Villages in La Rioja, Spain

Textual content dimension

Spain is at present open for tourism, however with restrictions. Examine essentially the most up-to-date tips earlier than planning your journey. Contact all companies for days and instances of operation.

Nonetheless largely undiscovered by vacationers, the northern Spanish area of  La Rioja has a repute for  producing a number of the nation’s finest wine. The world is punctuated by glowing rivers, the rugged Cantabrian mountains, and walled medieval villages whose preserved castles and cobbled alleys have allowed time to face nonetheless. Solely a large number of bodegas (or wineries)––some conventional, some fashionable––interrupt the gorgeous panorama of hills, valleys, and vines. 

Practically 90% of the wine produced right here is pink, hailing from the Tempranillo grape, and it’s typically blended with small quantities of Garnacha, Mazuelo, and
Graciano.
Pretty white varietals, resembling Viura and Tempranillo Blanco, in addition to
rosados
(rosés) are glorious and shouldn’t be discounted.

La Rioja can be a gastronomic vacation spot, the place meals follows wine. Rustic staples resembling white beans stewed with chorizo, roasted piquillo peppers, and grilled lamb chops dot numerous restaurant menus. However you’ll additionally uncover extra ingenious delicacies ready by up-and-coming and established cooks receiving Michelin stars. 

STAY

Within the tiny village of Briñas, simply 10 minutes from town of Haro, Palacio Tondón clings to the banks of the Ebro River and overlooks the vineyards. Set in a reimagined Sixteenth-century palace, this stylish resort is an excellent combination of previous and new. The 33-room property options three wings: the previous fortress with authentic stone partitions, servants’ quarters, and a glossy addition to the unique construction. Past a restaurant and wine bar, a terrace permits friends to loosen up and hearken to the light sounds of the Ebro.

Celebrated architect
Frank Gehry
designed the metal and titanium-clad Hotel Marqués de Riscal, an avant-garde property in Elciego, Álava. This Marriott Luxurious Assortment Lodge boasts the Michelin-starred Marqués de Riscal Restaurant, a Caudalie spa targeted on wine-inspired wellness, and the oldest vineyard in Rioja, courting to 1858. “The Metropolis of Wine” because it’s known as, is a vacation spot by itself, the place luxe lodging meet artwork, structure, and gastronomy.

WINE

Rioja is dwelling to over 500 wineries, so that you’ll doubtless be overwhelmed with decisions. Some wineries settle for walk-ins and others are by appointment solely. For particulars, name forward or examine the web sites.

Within the capital of Logroño, you’ll have a bevy of bodegas to select from. One price seeing is the fabled Marques
de Murrieta,
a beautiful property vineyard the place custom meets modernism within the Nineteenth-century Ygay Fort. The museum-like house hosts tastings, meals and wine pairings, and excursions. 

The city of Haro homes a number of wineries as nicely, and one of many key gamers is Bodegas Muga, set within the railway station district. Pleasant and educated employees pour the most recent classic, however the house fills up shortly, so arrive early. Winery excursions are additionally accessible, accompanied by a tasting of two wines. 

A maze of stone streets studded with restored medieval buildings, a few of that are wineries, weave by means of the fortified village of LaGuardia. Catch a glimpse of the city’s historical cave system––as soon as designated as tunnels for security and excavated 900 years in the past––at Casa Primicia, the place a refurbished inside introduces modern components into the oldest civil construction in LaGuardia. Take a tour and sip wine whereas savoring winery views from the higher degree. A tasting of the awarded
Julian Madrid
Reserva, named after the cellar’s founder, is accessible on the “5 Star Tour.”

In close by
Samaniego,
 Bodegas Baigorri and its minimalist design can’t be missed whereas driving on Ctra.Vitoria-Logroño. This glistening glass facade reveals a modernist “lookout,” one which displays this vineyard’s clear winemaking type. Touting unobstructed vistas of the surrounding terrain, the seven-level masterpiece is right for tastings and small gatherings. Guests can reserve a guided tour adopted by a multi-course lunch with 4 wine pairings. 

Get misplaced within the Previous World attract of the award-winning Bodegas
Luis Cañas,
 a family-owned vineyard specializing in natural and biodynamic manufacturing. The superb Gran Reserva is a traditional Rioja wine. The sleek and silky Rioja Reserva, with its wealthy tannins and oaky vanilla notes, can be excellent. Pattern these and others on the property, positioned within the tiny city of Villabuena de Álava solely 10 minutes from Baigorri.

DINE

In LaGuardia, 
Posada
Mayor de Migueloa is positioned in a Seventeenth-century resort by the identical title. Plating largely meat-focused dishes resembling Iberian-Acorn-fed ham and Rioja-style sausage with potato hotpot, the comfortable restaurant additionally contains a stellar wine checklist, together with some bottles from its on-site vineyard, Bodegas Mayor 1619.

Logroño is a metropolis of pintxos (tapas) bars—greater than 50 exist inside a four-block radius––so be ready to graze. One to attempt is Chef
Francis Paniego’s
Tondeluna, the place 90% of the menu is celiac-friendly. On Logroño’s finer facet, there’s a lot of buzz surrounding Ikaro Restaurante the place you’d be proper to count on a Michelin-starred expertise; the restaurant garnered one star within the 2020 information. Providing a la carte and tasting menus, cooks
Carolina Sánchez
and
Iñaki Murua
merge Ecuadorean and Basque delicacies within the fashionable house.

The cooks at Tondón in
Palacio Tondón
companion with native producers to craft seasonal modern dishes resembling pink tuna loin with white garlic and black
Angus
beef rib with grilled potato, serving friends in an elegantly designed eating room. However the culinary sensation could also be El Portal
de Echaurren,
set in its namesake resort in Ezcaray. With the kitchen helmed by Chef Francis Paniego and wines curated by his sibling
José Félix Paniego,
the 2 Michelin-star restaurant displays a gastronomy-rooted upbringing alongside their dad and mom and late brother, in addition to the bountiful area of La Rioja.

The writer was a visitor of Ruta del Vino de Rioja Alavesa.