La Rioja Alavesa: Home of Some of the World’s Best Wines

Photo by Lefteris kallergis on Unsplash

Have you ever heard of La Rioja before? This wine region in northern Spain is the home to some of the best red wines in the world and has a name that alludes to the autonomous region of the country in which it is located.

However, a small part of this wine region is actually located in the Alava province of the neighboring Basque Country, a small slice of the area which arguably has the best to offer of any part of the territory.

Quality of the Land

This small area of land is located in the far south of Alava and contains some of the best climate conditions and soil for grape-growing in the entire Iberian Peninsula. In fact, the Rioja Alavesa is said to produce the best wines in the entire La Rioja region thanks to its unique climate and its relative proximity to the Atlantic Ocean.

The Rioja Alavesa is cooler than the more southerly parts of the wine-growing region, allowing its wines made primarily from the Tempranillo grape to produce more complex and less acidic flavors than the ones produced farther to the south.

World Class

It holds a number of world-class wineries, including the futuristic-looking Bodega Ysios and popular wine producer Marques de Riscal, which is the largest by volume in the region and one of the best-known names in Spanish winemaking.

The next time you’re at the wine store, why not considering picking up a bottle of wine from this region and discovering the great products it has to offer?