Marqués de Riscal, Vanguard and Tradition of Rioja Alavesa

Marqués de Riscal is one of the great wineries of Rioja Alavesa, located in Elciego (Álava), a beautifully preserved medieval village. It is one of the most prominent brands outside its borders and corresponds to an old winery, founded in 1858 by Guillermo Hurtado Amézaga, Marqués de Riscal, whose first building bears the mark of architect Ricardo Bellsola. From the history of this winery, we know that in 1862 it bottled its wines for the first time and that just five years later, it received its first awards.

The Rioja historiography states that Marqués de Riscal is the oldest bottled wine in Rioja. In 1883, the winery expanded, and the building known as “El Palomar” took shape. In 1895, it became the first non-French wine to receive the Diploma of Honor at that year's Bordeaux Exhibition, and an image of this document was added to the wine label.

In the first quarter of the 20th century, Marqués de Riscal incorporated a golden net on its bottles as a quality guarantee to prevent counterfeiting. A new era began in 1972 when it started producing the first white wines from Rueda. In 1974, it introduced the Sauvignon Blanc variety in the region, and in 1980, it became one of the driving wineries of the Rueda Denomination of Origin.

In 1986, it began the production of Barón de Chirel, a precursor to a new era in Rioja wines. Thus, we arrive at the 21st century, where Marqués de Riscal initiated Project 2000 – overseen by the Ibaizábal group of companies, led by Alejandro Aznar – which will represent a significant advance towards the future with the construction of the San Vicente Winery and the beginning of wine tourism visits, a facet that generously contributes to a better understanding of its tradition and production.

A notable milestone in the history of Marqués de Riscal is the inauguration in 2006 of the City of Wine, which includes a hotel designed by the famous Canadian architect Frank O. Ghery (Toronto, 1929) who is based in the USA. It is one of the icons of the 21st century in La Rioja and a symbol of contemporary Spanish architecture.

Marqués de Riscal is one of the meccas for professionals in the sector worldwide. From our visit, which included an interesting tasting, it is clear that we visited an innovative company, a pioneer, and a benchmark in a wine sector that is in continuous transformation. The person attending to us tells us that “we seek to make original, fresh, elegant, and easy-to-drink wines.”

Marqués de Riscal also has a significant export share. Currently, the renowned winery is present in over a hundred countries, exporting 65% of its production. To meet market requirements, mainly in Latin America, part of it is sold with screw caps, as opposed to traditional corks.

The historical tour of the winery begins at the Plaza del Reloj. First, the Original Winery, built in 1860, is visited, which houses the bottling of old wines from Marqués de Riscal. Then comes the first expansion of the winery, a Bordeaux-style building from 1883, known as “El Palomar,” where the company's Premium wines are produced.

Plaza del Reloj of Bodegas Marqués de Riscal

XR Reserva 2012 from Marqués de Riscal: a delicacy

A project by Frank Ghery turned into a hotel

In the journey between vineyards and sandstone buildings, characteristic of the winery architecture of the region, the visual impact is heightened by the Marqués de Riscal The Luxury Collection hotel, an icon of 21st-century avant-garde architecture, designed by architect Frank O. Ghery, author of, among others, the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao.

Inaugurated on October 10, 2006, it is particularly striking due to the spectacularity of its shapes and silhouette, which showcases a combination of titanium, steel, and asymmetry of floor and wall tiles. Its management is handled by the Marriot International chain. It has 61 rooms, ten of which are suites, distributed across two buildings connected by a spectacular cantilevered walkway. All rooms are different and unique, both in shape and views.

The hotel combines the most deeply rooted winemaking tradition with avant-garde, luxury, and the most advanced technology of the 21st century. The most sensory part is complemented by the Caudalie vinotherapy Spa and the gastronomic offer of Riojan chef Francis Paniego, as well as a convention center and the winery's visitor center.

The VIP lounge viewpoint allows you to enjoy a panoramic view of La Rioja on one side and the south of the Basque Country on the other. The truth is that two worlds, that of wine and gastronomy, converge at an exact point with a high level of distinction. In addition to the Michelin-starred restaurant, the hotel has the 1860 Tradición Restaurant and the Wine Cellar & Bistro.

The hotel’s decor, overseen by Gehry himself, includes design elements from the great Finnish architect Alvar Aalto and B&B, among others, contributing to the avant-garde vision of its shapes, colors, and materials. The hotel also features an auditorium with a capacity for one hundred people and cutting-edge technological equipment, as well as ten additional spaces for all types of events and meetings.

Production

D.O. Rioja

Frank Ghery Selection 2012

Barón de Chirel

Marqués de Riscal 150th Anniversary

Marqués de Riscal Gran Reserva

Finca Torrea

XR from Marqués de Riscal

Marqués de Riscal Reserva

Arienzo

Marqués de Riscal Rosado

D.O. Rueda

Marqués de Riscal Limousin

Finca Montico (verdejo on lees)

Marqués de Riscal Sauvignon Blanc

Marqués de Riscal verdejo

V.T. Castilla y León

Marqués de Riscal Viñas Viejas

Barón de Chirel Verdejo Centenary Vines

D.O. Getariako Txakolina

Txakoli Marqués de Riscal

A meeting of Tenerife Escolapios in La Rioja

José Manuel Ventura Ventura, professor at the Faculty of Law of the University of La Rioja, organized the visit to Bodegas Marqués de Riscal. With the precision and rigor that characterizes him, the meeting had a very special and endearing flavor, as five former students and friends from the Pious Schools of Santa Cruz de Tenerife reunited after more than 40 years since finishing their studies at the Quisisana school.

From left to right: Manuel González Padrón, Guillermo Fernández Quintana, José Manuel Ventura Ventura, Juan Carlos Díaz Lorenzo, and Antonio Gil Reyes

Photos: Juan Carlos Díaz Lorenzo