Wines - Viña Eguía - Bodegas Eguía

An extensive valley

La Rioja is a natural region located in the north of the Iberian Peninsula. Its geography is characterised by the river Ebro which crosses the region from one end to another forming an extensive river depression. To the north and south of the valley a succession of mountains outline the horizon.

Between the Mediterranean and the north of Spain, between the heart of the European continent and its most westerly point La Rioja has, since ancient times, been used as a thoroughfare. Home to various cultures, and a border region between the first medieval kingdoms, La Rioja has always been the backdrop for incessant human movement. The best historical example is the Way of St. James: its route goes all the way to Compostela passing through the very heart of this extensive valley.

Region of wine

The remnants of the Roman occupation and, later, the influence of the monasteries from the Middle Ages bequeathed the entire region with a deeply entrenched wine-making legacy. Today its wine production is protected by the Rioja Qualified Designation of Origin which covers more than 55,000 hectares of vineyards.

This surface area is divided into three large zones, reflecting its variety of geological, climatic and historical facets: Rioja Alta, Rioja Baja and Rioja Alavesa. The smallest of these is Rioja Alavesa, which extends from the rocky outcrops of the Cantabrian mountains to the bed of the river Ebro. Sunny and beautiful, this area is dedicated to vine growing and the making of red wines of the tempranillo grape variety. Its geography is a complex mosaic of vine plots distributed over 15 municipalities.

The shelter of the mountains

Whilst the Ebro valley is bathed in Mediterranean luminosity, the closeness to the Atlantic provides a fresh and humid influence. Rioja Alavesa brings together two very different climatic influences in a combination which is very favourable for vineyards and the quality of the wines. 

Due to its geographical position on the southern slopes of the Cantabrian and Toloño mountains, the vineyards in this area are protected from the cold winds of the north.

The ideal substrate

The small and rough territory of Rioja Alavesa extends over multiple terraces, plots, slopes and hillocks of soils which are homogeneous and clayey-calcareous in character, with a yellowish ochre colour. 

Sober, balanced, with moderate output and with just the right amount of nutrients: this type of soil combines optimum conditions for vine growing and for guaranteeing the stability and quality of the wine.

The queen grape

The tempranillo variety is the indisputable queen of Rioja Alavesa. Its agile vine stocks dominate the regional ravine, characterised by a brownish-grey colour in winter and a strong green in the heat of the summer. Its early and stable ripening, offers a firm, consistent, corpulent and elegant structure: fundamental for obtaining young wines with a lot of fruit, and also optimum for the creation of quality wines in oak casks. Tempranillo wines are elegant and deep with an aromatic complexity full of nuances.

Elciego

The southern most of the villages in Rioja Alavesa has an unmistakeable image: from the distance its silhouette is marked by the two towers of San Andrés church which dominate the historical centre. 

The urban part of Elciego, with its emblazoned houses bears witness to a rich past. The key to this ancient setting is in the town surroundings, in the vines and wineries distributed throughout the municipality. During the late 19th century, the foundations were laid for the modernisation of the wine-growing activity in Spain.