Marqués de Riscal
Marqués de Riscal features on the Gingerguide audio walk through La Rioja Bodegas. Give it roughly ~120 min: enough to look, hear a two to three minute story on the spot, and ask the AI guide whatever the story leaves open.
- Type distillery
- Suggested visit ~120 min
- La Rioja Bodegas La Rioja Bodegas guide
About Marqués de Riscal
Founded in 1858, the oldest producer of Bordeaux-style wines in Spain, Marqués de Riscal's modern complex in Elciego, designed by Frank Gehry (2006), is the most architecturally spectacular winery building in Europe, its titanium ribbons rising above the medieval stone buildings of the village.
Marqués de Riscal, founded in 1858 by Camilo Hurtado de Amézaga (Marqués de Riscal) in the village of Elciego in Rioja Alavesa, was the first producer to make wines in the Bordeaux style in Spain, introducing small barrel aging, Bordeaux grape varieties (Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot alongside Tempranillo), and quality-focused production. The winery's cellar, built in 1860, still holds bottles from the first vintages, and wines from the 1860s and 1870s occasionally appear at auction. The bodega is now best known internationally for the Ciudad del Vino (City of Wine) complex, designed by the architect Frank Gehry and opened in 2006: a hotel, restaurant, wine therapy spa, and visitor centre enclosed in a cloud of coloured titanium ribbons (gold for wine, silver for the mesh-net bottles used by the winery, and magenta for the rosé). The building has become an international icon of contemporary architecture and wine tourism, receiving over 100,000 visitors annually.
Did you know? The wire mesh around Marqués de Riscal wine bottles, their most recognisable visual feature, was designed to prevent counterfeiting in the 19th century, when the winery's wines were so valuable that empty bottles were refilled with inferior wine and resold. The mesh was attached to the cork and sealed with wax, making it impossible to open without destroying the mesh. The practice of refilling and counterfeiting old Rioja labels persisted well into the 20th century and was a significant concern for quality producers.
How long is a visit to Marqués de Riscal?
Set aside roughly ~120 min for Marqués de Riscal. That covers a good look and the narrated story, and because you set the pace you can always stay on.
Is Marqués de Riscal worth your time?
Marqués de Riscal is among the 12 narrated highlights the Gingerguide team chose for La Rioja Bodegas, so it is worth a look. Hear the story for the context, then ask the AI guide for anything more.
Nearby stops in La Rioja Bodegas
Hear the story of Marqués de Riscal
Preview the La Rioja Bodegas tour free in the Gingerguide app.