An exceptional building, in perfect harmony with its setting. Seen from above, the estate takes the shape of a wine glass.
The roof, a key part of the project design, is covered with natural aluminium. The metal contrasts with the warmth of the façade, featuring strips of copper-treated cedar, the only wood type that was flexible enough to mould to the shape conceived by the architect.
The pond, located opposite the main façade, is lined with white pique assiette, a Modernist mosaic technique particularly employed by Gaudí.

The roof curvature perfectly reflects a row of barrels, in an avant-garde composition which blends harmoniously into the landscape. Its construction has set a new architectural milestone and, today, it is a landscape symbol for the area.

El prestigio y su secreto: el tiempo.
Una historia construida desde el trabajo, el amor al detalle,
la tradición y la discreción.
Más que una bodega.
Un mito auténtico”] From Homepage

Living in Bordeaux and studying Wine Marketing and Management in Bordeaux International Wine Institute INSEEC was one of the best decisions I have ever made. I had the privilege of visiting many top châteaux and wineries/bodegas.

In March during a short school break, my friends Ana García Meléndez and Eduardo Marina managed to plan a trip to Northern Spain. Early morning on March 04, we drove from Bordeaux to Ribera Del Duero for our afternoon visit in one of the most prestigious bodegas in the world: Vega Sicília in the Province of Valladolid.

Entrace

We made it just in time! We were all a little tired but very excited! Mr. Macías Gómez Enrique, vineyard manager welcomed us with a warm heart.  We all (Dakota, Julien, Ana, Eduardo, Marion, Alexandra, Brian, and Abby) hopped into two company vehicles and drove out to the vineyards.

Pointing at the area where new vines would be planted.

I couldn’t believe they even had a guard that drove around the vineyard!

Mr. Macías told us many things about the vineyards “viñedos” (age, grape varieties, soil type…etc) and historical facts about Vega Sicília.

Currently Vega Sicília has around 250 hectares of vines, 80% of which are tempranillo, the rest cabernet sauvignon, merlot and malbec. He said that the main soils in the vineyard are “arcillosos, aluvial  and calcéros.” 

Overlooking The Vineyards

Yeso

“Yeso” is naturally produced in and around the vineyards.

After the amazing 2 hour tour, we went to the tasting room. The first thing I remembered seeing were the nicely placed wineglasses and bottles of wine.

Wineglasses & Wine

We tasted two superb wines, Vega Sicília Alión 2006  and Vega Sicília Tinto Valbuena 5° 2006. The afternoon went by and the evening came. We stayed there even after the bodega had closed; drinking, socializing, and asking questions.

Valbuena 5° 2006

Alion 2006

"Porfavor un poco más de vino"

Like Mr. Mecías, the other Spanish people we would meet during our trip in Spain were some of the friendliest people I have ever met! I had a wonderful time in Vega Sicília! I hope to visit again in the future.

Rows of Old Vines

Some More than 80 years old!

Here is a field of old vines that we saw. They stand so majestic compared to the young vines. They looked so fragile, I was afraid to even touch them. According to Mr. Macías these vines only produce a few bunches of grapes, but the quality and concentration of the juice in the grapes is just perfect to produce their top wines.  He also mentioned that from these old vines they take “cuttings.”

State of the Art Cellars

Just Amazing! Never saw something like this in Bordeaux.

They clean the cellars many times a month!

High Frequency Linear De-Stemmer.

I just love looking at barrels of aging wine.

Stainless Steel Vats

What’s interesting to know about Spanish bodegas is that fact that compared to the old image of Bordeaux Châteaux, some wineries in Spain have instead embraced architectural modernization. Take Marqués de Riscal and Bodegas Ysios, they have re-shaped the image of how a winery should look like. But not all of them!

Aren’t they just amazing ?

We began with Calatrava’s Bodegas Ysios. I found this to be the most interesting and compelling, given its relationship to the rolling hills and landscape.

Next, we visited Bodegas Baigorri, where we had an organized tour of the winery accompanied with wine tasting and lunch. Architect Iñaki Aspiazu Iza took advantage of the topography of the site to create a building that does most of the work, leaving room for just a handful of employees. Employees needed for the selection process hand pick the grapes that move onto the fermentation step, as well as to other various stages throughout the wine-making process. According to our guide Jennifer, the building design saves time and money by this optimized method of creating high-quality wine in the Rioja Valley. The photograph I took shows the terrace, filled with soil and volcanic rock to cool the space below, one of the many unique characteristics of this unique winery. After our tour, we sat in their restaurant and dropped €40 on a fantasmal meal.

An axonometric section I sketched of the winery:

Our amazing lunch and wine tasting:

After we reluctantly left Bodegas Baigorri, we made one last pitstop before heading to Vitoria at Zaha Hadid Tondonia Winery Pavillion.

A short while later we arrived in Vitoria, the Basque capital for a good night’s rest. The morning would prove to be a long journey back (home) to Barcelona. First trip: check.

The drive from Marques de Riscal to Bilbao is about 1.5 hours. We went as far as Vittoria-Gasteiz on lesser national routes which I’m so glad of – we really got to see some of the beautiful Rioja countryside and I’m inspired to visit here again with more time.

Now we focussed on the point of our journey – ‘the Gugg’. Arriving in Bilbao was pretty easy, the museum is well sign-posted. Tip – if you can, park across the river from the Guggenheim. You get a beautiful view from here and can photograph it before walking over the bridge to get a closer look. The sunlight on the fish scales dances and changes as you move and as the sun moves.

Guggenheim Bilbao

Again, what can I really say on this one? It’s as incredible as I remember from photos but I’m pinching myself because I can’t believe I’m actually here. Every way you look at the building you get a different view or angle. I think you could see it forever and see something new every time.

We walk around to look at ‘El Perrito’, Jeff Koon’s dog sculpture which is hilarious and cute.

Flower Dog by Jeff Koons

Inside, I wonder if anyone looks at the art, the building is so incredible. It’s covered in glass on one side so you get a beautiful view of the river from inside. The audio guide tells me that the central atrium is the heart of the building and that the adjacent galleries are the veins. All lead back to the heart so you visit here several times during your visit.

Atrium Ceiling

Outside the public art installations are wonderful and seem to complement this already imposing building perfectly. I love the spider and the bullrushes which look like Koons as well.

Bullrushes at the Guggenheim

The day is really hot and it’s just lovely to walk around and look at this thing, this shining tower in the sun.

Bodega: Bodegas Ysios
País: España
Región: Rioja
Año: 1998
Tipo: Tinto con crianza
Castas: 100% Tempranillo

Alcohol: 12,5º

Precio: Aprox. 15€ ( en l’Hereu )

Nota de Cata: Color cereza oscuro con borde granate. Aroma de intensidad media a frutos rojos y negros maduros, toques minerales, de especias y sobre todo de maderas, que sobresalen en demasía. En boca es sencillo, paso de boca ligero y suave, taninos suaves, retronasal a maderas y especias, final con cierta persistencia a frutas (nota de cata de AntoDavila en verema.com, referente a la añada 99).

Opinión personal: El 98 que probamos tenía (como es normal) un ribete más teja, y nariz muy marcada de ebanistería, casi de “desván de abuela”, así como algunas notas animales. En retronasal conformaba esas notas de reserva muy evolucionado. Muy persistente. Para mi gusto personal, es demasiado “rioja de reserva”, demasiado “madero”.

Me pega con: estos vinos con tanta madera me piden estofados.