Rioja Alavesa

With its official name of Cuadrilla de Laguardia-Rioja Alavesa, it is one of the seven regions into which the province of Alava is divided. It is made up of 15 municipalities that are tributaries of the river Ebro.

THE WINE CULTURE

The Rioja Alavesa has a microclimate that, since before Roman times, has made it possible to grow vines, an ancient tradition that still persists with its 12,000 hectares of vineyards that surround the villages of the territory. There are three natural factors that make it possible for the wine culture to be so well known: its clay-limestone soil, which allows the vines to absorb the necessary humidity, its microclimate and the fact that it is located behind the Sierra de Cantabria mountain range, which protects the area from the northern winds and makes better use of the heat. But nothing could have been maintained in its perfect condition without the people's commitment to wine tourism. We find quality both in the most avant-garde facilities and in the historical facilities (the medieval caves). Two examples of wineries that are committed to wine tourism in the area are: Marqués de Riscal, whose winery complex includes a hotel, restaurants, conference rooms, a shop and a wine-SPA, and has 2,000 square metres where all the activities are made possible. And the Baigorri winery, which invested more than 15 million euros in a building that offers an exclusive gravity-based winemaking method.