Spain
Rioja
ree-OH-hah
Tempranillo, American oak, and bodegas that range from a town cellar to a titanium hotel.
Map
- When to go
- May–June and September–October. Haro is the town to sleep in if you like walking between names.
- Grapes
- Tempranillo · Garnacha · Viura · Graciano
Tasting rooms
Haro's Barrio de la Estación is the closest thing Spain has to a tasting district. López de Heredia still feels like 1890. Marqués de Riscal is Frank Gehry. Book the old rooms; the new ones have a front desk.
López de Heredia
Haro
BookLO-peth deh eh-REH-dyah
Viña Tondonia. Cubillo. The last of the cobweb cellars that isn't a museum bit.
Book. The tour is the point. Don't rush the Viura.
Tempranillo · Viura · Viña Tondonia Reserva
Muga
Haro
BookMOO-gah
Still uses oak vats and coopers on site. Prado Enea if you want the long-aged bottle.
Barrio de la Estación. Book, then walk to the next one.
Tempranillo · Prado Enea Gran Reserva
CVNE
Haro
BookKOO-neh
Imperial and Viña Real. The Eiffel cellar is not a rumor.
Walkable from Muga. Appointment.
Tempranillo · Imperial Reserva
Marqués de Riscal
Elciego
Hotelmar-KESS deh rees-KAHL
The titanium hotel. The wine is Rioja with a gift shop. Fine if you want the building.
Hotel guests have it easier. Book the visit anyway.
Tempranillo · Reserva — the building is the extra
Remelluri
Labastida
Bookreh-meh-YOO-ree
Lindes and the estate red. Less theater, more vineyard.
Appointment. A different Rioja than Haro station.
Tempranillo · Remelluri Reserva
Bodegas Roda
Haro
BookBodegas Roda
Modern Haro, next to the station cellars. Roda and Cirsion if they open them.
Book. Walk it with López de Heredia.
Tempranillo · Bodegas Roda
Contino
Laserna
BookContino
A single vineyard on the Ebro, not a town tasting room.
Appointment. You need a car.
Tempranillo · Graciano · Contino
Itinerary
Haro on foot, Elciego if you have a car
2 days
Sleep in Haro. Walk the station bodegas. One trip to Elciego or Labastida.
Day 1, morning
López de Heredia
Start here. Everything else will feel louder.
Day 1, afternoon
Muga, then CVNE
Two in the barrio. Lunch in between.
Day 2
Remelluri or Riscal
One estate outside town. Then pintxos, not another tasting.
Crianza / Reserva / Gran Reserva on the list are not quality scores. They're time in wood and bottle. Ask how old the current release is.
Business inquiries
Have a room in Rioja?
Featured placement, your booking link, ninety days. Drinkers stay free.
Business inquiries