La Rioja Alta S.A.
La Rioja Alta S.A. is one of the narrated stops on the self-guided La Rioja Bodegas audio walking tour in Gingerguide. Plan about ~120 min here. Press play at the spot for its two to three minute story, or ask the AI guide anything about it.
- Type distillery
- Suggested visit ~120 min
- La Rioja Bodegas La Rioja Bodegas guide
About La Rioja Alta S.A.
One of the most respected traditional Rioja producers, La Rioja Alta S.A. (founded 1890, Barrio de la Estación, Haro) is the standard-bearer for the long-aged, American oak-influenced style of classic Rioja, its 904 and 890 Gran Reserva wines achieving consistent critical acclaim.
La Rioja Alta S.A. was founded in 1890 by a group of Basque and Riojan families in the Barrio de la Estación, Haro. It is one of the most consistent and respected producers of traditional Rioja, with a portfolio that includes the Viña Ardanza Reserva (a blend of Tempranillo and Garnacha, considered one of the finest value wines in Rioja), the Viña Arana Reserva, the 904 Gran Reserva (a single-vineyard-influenced wine of exceptional quality), and the legendary 890 Gran Reserva (produced only in exceptional years, aged for an extraordinary length of time in American oak, and considered one of Spain's greatest wines). The winery is located in the Barrio de la Estación, adjacent to CVNE and López de Heredia, and maintains the most extensive cellar of aging wine in Haro, visitors to the bodega tour walk past thousands of barrels and hundreds of thousands of bottles in various stages of aging. The winery also owns estate vineyards in the Rioja Alta and Rioja Alavesa subzones.
Did you know? American oak (Quercus alba) used in Rioja wine aging is predominantly sourced from the forests of Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, and Minnesota in the United States. American white oak is distinct from European oak in several ways: it is cheaper (American forests are managed for timber production on a large scale); it has a tighter grain (requiring less treatment); and it imparts more pronounced sweet vanillin and coconut (lactone) flavours due to higher concentrations of these compounds. The Rioja tradition of American oak aging is unique in European fine wine, no major French appellation uses American oak.
How long should you spend at La Rioja Alta S.A.?
Plan about ~120 min at La Rioja Alta S.A.. That is enough to take it in and hear its narrated story; stay longer if it grabs you. The tour is self-guided, so there is no rush.
Is La Rioja Alta S.A. worth visiting?
La Rioja Alta S.A. is one of the 12 sights the Gingerguide team researched and narrated in La Rioja Bodegas, so it earns a place on a self-guided walk. Its story explains why it matters, and you can ask the AI guide anything the story leaves open.
Nearby stops in La Rioja Bodegas
Hear the story of La Rioja Alta S.A.
Preview the La Rioja Bodegas tour free in the Gingerguide app.