Best Wineries to Visit in La Rioja: Top 12 (2025)
Introduction
La Rioja isn't just about wine: it's architecture among vineyards, century-old cellars, and tastings that explain why this region sets the standard for wine tourism in Spain. You're not looking for the standard tour here. You're seeking wineries where barrel aging coexists with Gehry's design, where you can taste vintages from the '70s, and where the vineyard landscape carries as much weight as the glass you're holding.
This guide brings together the 12 essential wineries in La Rioja for 2025: from architectural icons to historic wine temples. With specific prices, standout experiences, and what makes each one unique. Plan your route, book in advance (many require prior reservation), and get ready to discover why La Rioja remains the epicenter of Spanish wine tourism.
1. Marqués de Riscal: Gehry's Architecture and Iconic Wine
Frank Gehry's winery in Elciego is the visual emblem of Rioja wine tourism. Undulating roofs of pink, gold, and silver titanium over vineyards that have been producing since 1858.
Here you visit both the historic cellar (French barrels, vintage room) and the contemporary building. The basic experience includes a guided tour and tasting of Marqués de Riscal Reserva for €18. If you're looking for something more exclusive, the premium tasting with special reserves costs €35. The Michelin lunch at the hotel restaurant starts at €80.
Ideal for couples seeking visual impact and quality wine in one place. Book two weeks in advance during high season. Reserve at Marqués de Riscal on Picuco.
2. Ysios: Sunset Among Vineyards and Calatrava Design
The Ysios winery, designed by Santiago Calatrava, stretches at the foot of the Sierra de Cantabria like a wave of wood and aluminum. It's one of the most photographed buildings in La Rioja.
The basic visit with Ysios Reserva tasting costs €20. But the star experience is the sunset among vineyards: evening tour, terrace tasting with mountain views, and explanation of the Rioja terroir. Price: €30. Available May through October.
Perfect for small groups and contemporary architecture lovers. The contrast between Calatrava's lines and the natural landscape creates memorable photos. See Ysios experiences on Picuco.
3. Viña Real: Sustainable Technology and Gran Reserva
Viña Real combines cutting-edge facilities with respectful production methods. The winery is semi-underground to take advantage of constant soil temperature, reducing energy consumption.
The sustainable architecture tour with Viña Real Gran Reserva tasting costs €15. The premium reserve tasting, which includes technical explanation about barrel aging, goes up to €25.
Ideal if you're interested in the technical side of wine: controlled fermentation, barrel selection, temperature management. The visit lasts 90 minutes and includes a tour of the barrel room and bottling area. Reserve at Viña Real on Picuco.
4. López de Heredia Viña Tondonia: The Living Wine Museum
If you want to understand how wine was made in La Rioja a century ago, López de Heredia is your mandatory stop. Founded in 1877, the winery maintains traditional methods: fermentation in oak vats, manual racking, hand labeling.
The historic visit costs €15 and includes a tour through the century-old cellars (with that unmistakable aroma of damp oak and time) and tasting of young wines. But the unique experience is the Viña Tondonia Gran Reserva vertical tasting: you taste vintages from different decades, comparing evolution and aging. Price: €40. Maximum 10 people.
For wine purists and history lovers. There are no special effects or signature architecture here. Just wine made the old way, with patience and rigor. Reserve at López de Heredia on Picuco.
5. CVNE (Compañía Vinícola del Norte de España): Antique Wine Tastings
CVNE is one of the oldest wineries in Haro (1879) and preserves one of Spain's most impressive wine libraries: bottles from the early 20th century in perfect condition.
The basic tour with tasting costs €12. But if you're looking for something memorable, ask about the antique wine tasting: Imperial Gran Reserva and Viña Real from vintages with decades of aging. The experience costs €50 and requires advance reservation with at least one month's notice. These are limited tastings (maximum 6 people) and depend on bottle availability.
Perfect for connoisseurs who want to taste wines that are no longer made the same way. The explanation about controlled oxidation, tannin evolution, and bottle storage is technical but accessible. See CVNE experiences on Picuco.
6. Muga: Family Tradition and Paired Tastings
Muga is a family winery in Haro that works with their own barrels (they have their own cooperage workshop) and maintains artisanal methods at every production stage.
The intimate visit, in groups of maximum 8 people, costs €20 and includes a tour through the barrel room and tasting of Muga Reserva and Prado Enea Gran Reserva. The paired tasting with local products (sheep cheese, cured meat, preserves) goes up to €40.
Ideal for couples or small groups seeking close attention and detailed explanations. The atmosphere is family-like, unhurried. Each visit is guided by a family member or winery enologist. Reserve at Muga on Picuco.
7. Vivanco: Wine Museum and Variety Garden
Vivanco is more than a winery: it's a complete wine tourism complex. The Museum of Wine Culture covers 8,000 years of viticultural history with unique pieces (Roman amphorae, medieval presses, contemporary art). The variety garden has more than 200 types of planted vines.
Museum admission with basic tasting costs €18. The guided tasting workshop (you learn to identify aromas, evaluate color, detect flaws) costs €35 and lasts two hours. The variety garden is a free self-guided visit.
Perfect for families with children (the museum has interactive sections) and groups wanting to combine culture and wine. You can easily spend half a day here. See Vivanco packages on Picuco.
8. Ontañón: Contemporary Art and Wine
Ontañón combines a functional winery with an art gallery. The facility walls display works by Spanish contemporary artists: sculptures, murals, installations that dialogue with the vineyard landscape.
The basic tour with tasting costs €15. The art and wine experience (guided tour of the works, collection explanation, commented tasting) costs €25. Duration: 90 minutes.
Ideal if you're looking for something different from the traditional winery tour. The mix of art, architecture, and wine generates interesting conversations. Reserve at Ontañón on Picuco.
9. Exclusive Wineries: Private Visits and Premium Experiences
Some Rioja wineries offer custom-designed private visits: vertical tastings, access to restricted areas, meetings with winemakers, chef-paired dinners.
The price for these experiences starts at €35 per person (groups of maximum 8) and can increase depending on included services. They require booking at least three weeks in advance.
Perfect for special celebrations, groups of knowledgeable friends, or couples seeking a unique experience. Book exclusive experience on Picuco.
10. Lecea: Sustainable Wine Tourism and Organic Farming
Lecea works with certified organic viticulture and sustainable vineyard management. The winery operates with renewable energy and minimal chemical intervention.
The sustainable tour with tasting costs €20 and includes a tour through organic vineyards, explanation of regenerative agriculture, and tasting of certified wines. Duration: two hours.
Ideal for environmentally conscious travelers and natural wine lovers. The visit includes a walk through the vines (comfortable shoes recommended). See Lecea visits on Picuco.
11. Bilbaínas: Centennial History and Tradition
Bilbaínas, founded in 1901, maintains traditional production methods and 20th-century industrial architecture worth seeing.
The guided visit with tasting costs €18 and includes a tour through historic cellars and explanation of American oak barrel aging. Groups maximum 15 people.
For those seeking authenticity without frills. Well-made wine, historic facilities, professional service. Reserve at Bilbaínas on Picuco.
12. Campillo: Premium Tastings and Signature Wines
Campillo produces single-parcel wines with detailed monitoring of each vineyard. Premium tastings allow you to compare the influence of terroir on the final result.
The standard visit costs €20. The signature wine tasting (specific parcels, microclimates, experimental aging) goes up to €45. Requires advance reservation and basic tasting knowledge.
Ideal for advanced enthusiasts wanting to delve into differences between terroirs. The explanations are technical but clear. See Campillo offers on Picuco.
Practical Tips for Your Wine Tourism Route
Book in advance. The most popular wineries (Marqués de Riscal, Ysios, López de Heredia) fill up weeks ahead, especially in spring and harvest season.
Plan maximum 2-3 wineries per day. Each visit lasts between 90 minutes and two hours. More than three tastings in one day makes it difficult to appreciate nuances.
Designate a driver. If you're going by car, someone must abstain from tasting. Some wineries offer professional spittoons for evaluating without ingesting.
Mix styles. Alternate between architectural wineries (Gehry, Calatrava) and traditional ones (López de Heredia, CVNE) to contrast approaches.
Bring water and eat light. Tastings are best enjoyed with a clean palate. Avoid heavy meals before visiting wineries.
Conclusion
La Rioja offers wineries for all profiles: signature architecture, century-old methods, single-parcel wines, sustainable wine tourism. This selection of 12 wineries combines must-see icons with lesser-known but equally valuable options.
Book early, plan your route according to your interests (history? design? antique wines?), and get ready to discover why this region continues to set the standard for Spanish wine. Rioja wine tourism isn't just about tasting wine: it's understanding landscape, tradition, and technique in every glass.
Find all wine tourism experiences in La Rioja on Picuco and book your getaway. The best winery is the one that connects with what you're looking for: it could be a Gehry building or a 19th-century cellar. Only you know which.
