Decanting Spain's La Rioja region

Far from the madding crowds of Marbella and the Costa del Sol, a Spain of an entirely different temperament unfolds in the rolling countryside and medieval hamlets of the north. Known as "Green Spain" for its lushness, this is the land of El Cid and Roland -- of epic battles between the kingdoms of Aragon, Castile and Navarra, which fought bitterly over this fertile region. (A hint as to who won: Modern Spanish is in actuality Castellano, or Castilian). It is also at the heart of one of Europe's best-kept travel secrets, the storied Camino de Santiago, a thousand-year-old pilgrimage route that ribbons through northern Spain's most compelling attractions, including the region known as La Rioja. Sheltered from the cold north winds by the Cantabrian mountains, irrigated by the Ebro River and blessed with a perfectly balanced soil, it is here where not only cultural and architectural treasures abound, but where wines of international renown have taken root.

Although wine has been cultivated in La Rioja for centuries, the blossoming of the region as a major wine center owes much to the phylloxera blight which devastated Bordeaux at the end of the 19th century. France's loss was Spain's gain, as some of Bordeaux's best vintners moved on to La Rioja, where their skilled hand cultivated a new level of the appellation. Although different grapes have been introduced here, it is the Tempranillo which reigns supreme. Most closely compared to Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot varieties, it is the essence of classic Rioja wine. It imparts a rich garnet color and a warm, mellow taste of spicy fruit, with a lingering finish.

But wine is not just a product in La Rioja - it is a way of life. Festivals, processions, feasts and celebrations in towns like Calahorra, Fuenmayor and Laguardia mark Riojan's deep connection with the vine. One of the most festive is the downright Dionysian "Batalla de Vino" or Wine Battle, which takes place every June 29 in the town of Haro. Here, following Mass, celebrants clad completely in white and fortified with the local sangria known as zurracopote, head to a spot 3 km out of town where they splash and spray each other with 100,000 liters of wine.

In these small towns, the centuries can be measured by the rich tableau of architectural styles in evidence everywhere, ranging from Roman ruins to Plateresque masterpieces. Not artifacts, they are part of a living history: Calahorra offers gardens brimming with roses and the retablo, or altarpiece, of St. James, considered the finest neoclassic work in the region. Known for its beauty and as the seat of the kings of Navarra, Estella still exudes a medieval ambiance with gems like the bridge known as Puente de la Carcel, which crosses over the meandering Rio Ega to the old Jewish ghetto. The walled village of Santo Domingo de la Calzada is dominated by a towering cathedral, begun in 1098, and is home to one of the finest paradores in Spain. And of course, there is always the wine.

Eric Hiss
Photography J. Luis G. Grande