The Rioja

In addition to the outstanding dinner we enjoyed at the Hotel Marques de Riscal, we revisited several of Rioja’s other top restaurants. Here are five that we have added to our select list of recommended dining in the Rioja:


Los Calaos (loscalaosdebriones.com) can be found in the village of Briones, just down from the Plaza Mayor. Housed in a two story deep wine cellar below a charming bed and breakfast inn, this restaurant is very atmospheric and extremely popular. The chef offers a traditional Riojan cuisine of baby goat, roast lamb, roasted red peppers and highly creative desserts. It’s a favorite of local winemaker Miguel Merino. Tel: 941 322 131


Hector Oribe, Gasteiz, 8, in the village of Paganos, 2 km to the east of Laguardia. This small and cozy eponymous restaurant of noted San Sebastian chef, trained by Arzak and Arguinaño, offers very attractively priced dishes that are sure to please. Selected as a Bib Gourmand for value in the 2006 red Michelin guide. It’s another favorite of area winemakers. Closed Sunday night and Monday. Tel: 945 600 715


Las Duelas is located in the Hotel Los Agustinos, Haro. Recently reviewed in Wine and Spirits, chef Juan Nales (trained at San Sebastián’s Akelarre) produces a creative market driven menu with specialties such as mushroom risotto with Parmesan foam, loan of roast venison with hazelnut croquette and fresh cheese ice cream and red wine sorbet. Persue the menu and wine list at aranzazu-hoteles.com/lasduelas.php Tel: 941 311 308 /941 304 463


Alameda, Plaza Azpilicuetam, 1, on the square in Fuenmayor – run by an expert husband and wife team; Tomas Fernandez grills their justly fabled ox steak; Esther Alvarez elaborates the updated, contemporary Riojan dishes. Rated as one of the very best in all of the Rioja by The Best of Spanish Gastronomy. Closed on Sunday night and Monday. You must reserve on weekends. Tel: 941 450 044


Venta de Moncalvillo, Daroca de Rioja-Market driven, creative Riojan cuisine offering as well as a 250 label wine list (plus 50 dessert wines) and great value 38 euro degustation menu. Run by reservations only, call a few days ahead for weekends, located just 10 min., 18 km south of Logroño in a tiny village, population 50. Chef: Ignacio Echapresto García. His brother, Carlos, is the sommelier. Specialties are game dishes. Closed Sunday -Thursday nights. Tel: 941 444 832

There are only a few bodegas (wineries) in the Rioja and Navarra that will accept walk-ins. Most require advanced reservations, sometimes as little as a day or two ahead of time, but you should plan well in advance for a tour in English as many of the bodegas have only one tour per day in English.


There has been much talk in the travel press in the last year regarding the Napa-fication of the Rioja (The New York Times 28 Aug 05). This makes for interesting reading, but, in general, the wine tasting concept prevalent in most of California doesn't fit the personally of the Rioja or that of neighboring Navarra. Here you can expect the winemaker to spend considerable time explaining his or her own unique way of making wine and what makes it different from all other wines in the area. Everything is personal and passionate with these winemakers, so expect to spend 1 to 1-1/2 hours touring their facility before the tasting.


Some bodegas are now offering lunch following the tour and tasting in a private dining room, but all require advanced reservations. Contact us for a list of bodegas offering private dining.

We had the pleasure of visiting the newly christened Marques de Riscal Hotel, the City of Wine, in the village of Elciego (Rioja Alavesa), 60 minutes south of Pamplona, during a recent business trip. The Frank Gehry designed project is quite spectacular, comparable to the Guggenheim in Bilbao, and quite a dramatic scene when approaching from Laguardia, or from the south. Its stunningly modern design is in striking contrast to, but blending smoothly with, this once sleepy village in the center of Spain's premier wine producing region. The setting is equally as dramatic under a star filled sky, especially when viewed from the balcony of the spacious Gehry Suite. The village church, sitting across the plaza from the hotel, remains the tallest structure in the village, by design, and is illuminated on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights by special agreement with the Priest.

Interestingly enough, Frank Gehry did not sleep in the Gehry Suite during his visit for the inaugural, choosing instead one fo the grand deluxe rooms in the Spa Wing where half of the rooms face the titanium structure and the village of Elciego. The rest of the Spa Wing rooms overlook the adjoining vineyards.

The Marques de Riscal Hotel and Spa also boasts a spectacular restaurant overseen by Francis Paniego, chef of the renowned 1-star Michelin restaurante El Portal del Echaurren in Ezcaray, a village in the Sierra de la Demanda, an hours drive south of Haro. The bright and airy dining room, with its vaulted ceiling and views fo the village and vineyards, seats only 50 at well spaced tables decked with Baccarat crystal, Puiforcat sterling and Rivolata Carmignani linens. The reasonable priced menu includes many of the highlights fro Echaurren, including his mother's famed croquetas. It also offers a 10-course degustation menu for 80 euros/person. The wine list is currently limited to Riscal wines, but will soon be expanded to make it world class. The list will include wines from other Spanish wine regions and from around the globe. The least expensive wine is a 7 euros, Crianza, while the most expensive was a Gran Reserva, topping out a only 39 euros.

Vinotherape, by Les Sources de Caudalie, from the Smith-Haute Lafitte vineyards in Martillac, Bordeaux, is a fabulous state-of-the-art wine therapy spa located on the lower level of the Spa Wing. the spa offers 2 to 6 days treatments priced from 119 euros/day (Relaxation Cure) to 165 euros/day (Special Vintage Cure). They also offer "Baths and Wraps" for 51 euros/session. Pool asscess at the spa is complimentary to the hotel's guests.

The spa, restaurant and bodega tour should all be reserved well in advance as they ae generating incredible interest from around the world.