Marqués de Riscal: A Deep Dive
Marqués de Riscal is the oldest classified estate of the Rioja Alavesa and one of the most historically important in Spain. Its founder, Don Camilo Hurtado de Amézaga, returned from France in the 1850s convinced that Rioja could produce wines on a par with Bordeaux — and built the estate accordingly.
The founding
Founded in 1858 in Elciego on the Alavesa bank of the Ebro, Riscal was the first Spanish estate to systematically import French techniques. Cabernet Sauvignon was planted alongside Tempranillo; French and American oak barrels replaced traditional clay; the wine was bottled and labelled in the modern sense.
The wines
- Marqués de Riscal Reserva — the flagship of the modern range; Tempranillo with Graciano and Mazuelo. American oak. The benchmark of the house.
- Marqués de Riscal Gran Reserva — released only in great years, with longer oak and bottle ageing.
- Barón de Chirel Reserva — the prestige bottling. Old-vine Tempranillo with a small percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon — historically Spain's first commercial wine to feature Cabernet on the label.
- Marqués de Riscal Rueda Verdejo — from the estate's separate Rueda operation, a reference Spanish Verdejo.
The Frank Gehry hotel
In 2006, Marqués de Riscal opened the Hotel Marqués de Riscal, a luxury hotel designed by Frank Gehry — titanium-clad in pink, gold, and silver, a deliberate reference to the foil of a Riscal wine bottle. The hotel and restaurant, the Vinothèque, and the historic cellars together form the City of Wine — one of the most polished wine-tourism destinations in Spain.
The 1928 vintage
A particular Riscal vintage — the 1928 — is celebrated for the estate's defining moment. It was widely served at the wedding of the Spanish king and helped establish Riscal as the country's luxury wine.
The historic library
Riscal's underground cellar holds bottles from every vintage back to the founding — a cathedral (their term) of more than 130,000 bottles. The collection is one of the most valuable in Europe.
Visiting
Marqués de Riscal welcomes visitors. The estate runs daily tours of the cellar, the historic library, and the Frank Gehry hotel building; the on-site Michelin-starred restaurant draws diners from across Spain. Book ahead, especially in the summer months.
Explore on the map
Find Marqués de Riscal on the interactive map. Filter to Spain, zoom to Rioja, and route the trip via Elciego — the Frank Gehry hotel is visible from far across the Ebro valley.