Bodega

With a family tradition of growing and making wine that dates back hundreds of years, Bodegas D. Mateos is one of the latest rediscoveries in Rioja, embodying the true character of this region in its wines. Mateo Ruiz, who has been heading up this project since the winery was constructed in the year 2000, amazes and offers great wines with their own distinctive personality and character, with Rioja Baja and Aldeanueva de Ebro as the hallmarks of their identity.

Alfredo Bernáldez has managed to make a name for himself in the quality wine sector, particularly in foreign markets. A history of identity based on old vineyards, long ageing in barrels and bottles and a collection of varieties of the main Rioja grapes. If you are on the St. James Path, don’t hesitate to knock on the winery door which is on the route when passing through Ventosa.

The history of Bodegas Tobelos (Briñas) is reflected in wines that are befitting of their origin (Sonsierra). The winery is nestled in one of the most traditional winemaking areas, Briñas (4 kilometres from Haro), on a steep slope spanning the course of the River Ebro, at the foot of the Sierra Cantabria and the Obarenes Mountains, with magnificent views over the Conchas de Haro and the Peñas de Bilibio, which can be seen from the winery’s windows.

This winery was established in 1954 by Javier Cantera Cañas, who built the first winery in Azofra, a village in Najerilla (Rioja Alta). Javier Cantera Corcuera, son of the founder, took over the family business, and in 2000 he moved to a new winery in Huércanos for the making and ageing of fine wines. A member of the third generation, Eva Cantera, joined the firm ten years ago, contributing her knowledge and youth.

Established over a hundred years ago, the winery owned by the Pérez Foncea family has never stopped growing grapes in its 60-hectare vineyards. In 1984, Luis Pérez Foncea built a winery in Fuenmayor, in the heart of Rioja Alta. At present, his children are in charge of producing wines that express the outstanding characteristics of the land and of the grapes harvested there.

In April 1923, Vicente Garrido released his first vintage, from 1922. Three generations later, Amelia, along with her father, Eduardo, keeps her grandfather’s winemaking traditions alive in Ábalos, a great wine-producing region under the influence of the oceanic climate in La Sonsierra. The calcareous clay soils are ideal for making fine, persistent wines from the Tempranillo grape variety.

A traditional vineyard in Baños de Rioja (one of the highest areas in Rioja Alta), Finca La Emperatriz used to belong to Eugenia de Montijo, wife of Napoleon III. More recently, in 1996, Eduardo and Víctor Hernaiz took over the management of the firm, which makes fine wines from the grapes that grow on old vines and also on younger grapevines planted by them. The Hernaiz brothers have divided the land into plots on an estate that features an unusual gravel soil – the origin of the freshest and most elegant wines. .

This winery stands on a Burgos islet in Rioja Alta belonging to the monastery of Santa María de Herrera (Miranda de Ebro). Its 250 hectares are set in a lovely, unspoilt landscape in the foothills of the Obarenes Mountains that features forests and vineyards. The area is sheltered from the strong winds and the cold in lowlands that lend their character to the wines, typical of areas characterised by the oceanic climate.

Organic farming and reclaimed grape varieties and lands are the pillars that support Viña Ijalba. Located just a five minutes’ drive from Logroño, this winery, built on an old gravel quarry, opens its doors to visitors. With grapes from vines growing on more than 85 hectares, Viña Ijalba makes unique organic wines using the most modern techniques.