Rioja is Spain’s most famous wine producing area, located in the province of the same name. The region has a centuries old tradition of wine making. With the arrival of French merchants in the late 19th century, Rojas’ name really took off, as the area gained expertise from Bordelaise winemakers, including their use of small oak barrels. This beautiful wine region with its beguiling landscapes is divided into 3 vine growing areas, all producing rather different wines. In Rioja Baja, the Granacha grape variety thrives in warm, relatively low altitudes. Then there are the higher, cooler districts of Rioja Alta and Rioja Alavesa, where the Tempranillo and Graciano grapes flourish. The majority of Riojas are red but some white are made too, the main white grape varieties are Viura and Malvasía. There is a lot of good Rioja wine, but one can argue the most distinctive wines are made by vineyard-designated wine producers. Rioja has some charming towns and villages. Places like Laguardia, Briones and Cenicero are charming historic hilltop settlements, overlooking the wide expanses of vineyards and forests, with high mountains as a dramatic backdrop. Logroño, around 300 kilometers from Madrid, is Rioja’s capital and economical centre as well as its largest city. It is a pleasant place, with a charming old town, the “casco antiguo”, the epicenter of a busy tapas scene with many tabernas serving perfect local food and wines. Also worth a detour is the wine town of Haro, a lively little place, on the banks of the Ebro River and the main town of Rioja Alta. Already in the 19th century Haro had become one of the most important wine cities in Spain, as many companies established their bodega (winery) in or around the town. When it comes to local gastronomy, this wine region has many simple but delicious treats. Rioja’s classic dishes include slow-roasted lamb over vine prunings, conjonudo (chorizo with egg and red pepper served on bread) and patatas a la riojana (potatoes with chorizo). A staple too is the menestra de verduras, sautéed local spring vegetables mixed with diced serrano ham.