Calle Laurel on a Saturday night © David Waitz, courtesy Vibrant Rioja

WHeRe to eAt

Calle Laurel (Laurel Street) is the bustling tapas center of Logroño. Here are three top eateries to try:

View of El Ciego from Marqués de Riscal

La Gota de Vino:

A spacious, modern-style bar. Order the Zorropito, which is a bread roll spread with aioli, bacon, and jamón.

Villarica:

Situated on a corner of intersecting streets, the specialty is Zapatilla

(toasted bread laced with olive oil and topped with jamón Serrano).

:RI O J A sebas:

A small spot where the classic Spanish Tortilla and stuffed peppers take center

Redonda), Logroño is packed with night life and culture.

stage.

For those seeking a slice of history put the hillside hamlet

of Laguardia on your itinerary as its one of Spain’s most

WHeRe to stAY

Ac Hotel

well-preserved medieval villages.

26004, Logroño

Divided into three sub-regions, Rioja Alta, Rioja Baja, Tel: +34 941 272 350 and Rioja Alavesa, Rioja is a study in terroir. Rioja Fax: +34 941 272 351

Alavesa is known for wines that shine with aromatic fresh-www.ac.hotelsearch.com/ achotellarioja ness. It sits at the highest elevation and reflects influence A short taxi ride from of the cool Atlantic climate. Rioja Alta is also high and the airport and minutes dry but with soils rich in clayand iron, its wines showcase into the center of town full-bodied flair. Rioja Baja is a distinctly different place. make this comfortable,

Generally lower in altitude than its regional brethren, convenient property

Baja is anchored by the town of Alfaro. Make sure to located near the University trek there to visit Palacios Remondo, a respected family and Logroño’s Palace of Congresses ideal. Rates property now run by one of Spain’s hottest winemakers, from 69 to 165 Euros per Alvaro Palacios. night.

The majority of well-known bodegas to visit, however, are located in the Alavesa and Alta areas. Reigning For more information traditionalists such as C.V.N.E., Bodegas Montecillo

visit www.vibrantrioja.com

(whose female winemaker María Martínez Sierra is legendary) and R. López de Heredia are juxtaposed with modern classics like RODA, Campillo, and Luis Cañas. About the author: One must-see stopover is Dinastía Vivanco. This cutting-

Leslie Sbrocco is the author of the award-winning book, edge estate is home to not only a respected restaurant Wine for Women, and the and winery, but to the most remarkable wine museum in Simple & Savvy Wine Guide the world. (William Morrow). She is the host of the Emmy-award win-Tempranillo is Spain’s signature red grape variety and ning show Check Please! on forms the backbone for the majority of Rioja’s reds. It is PBS television and a nationally-often blended with other varieties such as Graciano, recognized speaker and wine Mazuelo, and Garnacha, which shines in Rioja Baja. educator.

Two underappreciated Rioja styles – whites and rosés – delivered the most pleasant surprises for me. Being a pink wine appreciator, I have often sipped Rioja’s rosés, but the whites from Rioja are ones to discover. Mainly Viura blended with Malvasía, the wines serve up verve at value prices.

Whether it’s the simply the wines you want to explore, or the region itself, Rioja offers something amazing for all.

POSTMARK

By Leslie Sbrocco

The saying “what’s old is new again” is a fitting description of Spain’s most recognizable wine region, La Rioja. Its rich history dates to Roman times yet it could be called one of the most modern places in Spain.

Just look to Marqués de Riscal’s “City of Wine” in the town of Elciego. Here a futuristic, Frank Gehry-designed spa and hotel (photo at top right) blend seamlessly with historic buildings dating to 1858. This world-class destination, along with numerous other extraordinary wineries such as Ysios, Darien, Baigorri, and Viña Real, provides enough architectural eye-candy to impress even the most discerning visitors. Rioja’s man-made wonders, however, vie for attention with the area’s natural beauty.

Defined by the dramatically rugged Sierra Cantabria Mountains and with the Ebro River cutting a swath through towns and vineyards, this jigsaw-puzzle-shaped wine region, about the size of Delaware, is located in north-central Spain. Showcasing stunning vistas as it spills into neighboring Navarra and Basque country, Rioja is a wine lovers’ paradise. For an appellation created in 1926, my expectations of a time-honored place were met, but the innovative spirit that exudes from the people of Rioja was what impressed me most.

Not satisfied to rest solely on the shoulders of their famous and traditional styles of Gran Reservas ( long-lived aged reds), Reservas (smooth reds aged at least 3 years), and youthful Crianzas, the region with nearly 20,000 growers and 1,200 Rioja producers, is showcasing a new face of “high-expression” bottlings. These wines are generating palpable excitement across the globe.

While the northern town of Haro is home base for many Rioja visitors, I began my journey in the city of Logroño. It lies on the famous pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela, the coastal burial site of Saint James. Sporting tapas bars, restaurants, and celebrated churches (including the Cathedral of Santa María de la

14