Spain is culture

In recent years, spectacular wineries have sprung up all over Spain. These stunning buildings have avant-garde aesthetics and a functional design. When you look at them, you'll notice that their designs are not only eye-catching and original but that they are also conceived as places where genuine works of art are created –the wines themselves. Because in Spain, architecture and wine are a perfect pairing.

Rioja Alavesa

Elciego (Álava), in the Rioja Alavesa region, is the home of Ciudad del Vino (The City of Wine), owned by Bodegas Marqués de Riscal. The Canadian architect Frank O. Gehry, creator of the Guggenheim Bilbao, designed this surprising project. The revolutionary titanium-clad building emerges from the earth like a vine, and is fully integrated in the landscape of vineyards and fields that surround it. Also worth seeing is the interior, which includes a luxury hotel and restaurant, a vinotherapy spa, a meeting centre and a museum.

Less than 10 kilometres away in Laguardia there are another two more wineries worthy of visiting: Bodegas Ysios, by Spain’s Santiago Calatrava, and Bodega Viña Real, by the French architect Philippe Mazières. These are two very different buildings, although both spectacular. The roof of Bodegas Ysios is inspired by a row of barrels, and from above it has the shape of a wineglass. In Viña Real, the cellars where the wine is stored are excavated from the rock, taking advantage of the unusual terrain.

Ribera de Duero

The striking roof structures in Peñafiel (Valladolid), at the foot of the castle, were designed by Richard Rogers for Bodegas Protos. The project reinterprets the traditional architecture of wineries in the area, using innovative structures and materials which optimise performance and energy efficiency. Six kilometres away, in Curiel de Duero, you can see the minimalist architecture of Bodegas Legaris, with large windows which encourage natural lighting and the sense of integration with nature. 

In Gumiel de Izán (Burgos), the Bodegas Portia building was designed by Norman Foster for the Faustino Group. The huge star-shaped structure seems to emerge from the ground. The materials used for its construction are concrete, oak, steel and glass.

Wine tourism

In the town of Haro you can visit Bodegas López de Heredia, one of the oldest wineries of La Rioja. The annexe was designed by the architect Zaha Hadid to mark the firm’s 125th anniversary, and houses the tasting rooms, the shop, and the winery's Art Nouveau stand from the 1910 Universal Exposition in Brussels. Estella (Navarra) boasts the work of the Spanish architect Rafael Moneo in Bodegas Julián Chivite. The modern building is in perfect harmony with the setting and its woods, vineyards, and landscape.

These are just a few examples of the innovative, avant-garde architecture to be found in Spanish wineries. There are many more in Spain’s different wine-making regions. As well as discovering the work of prestigious architects and efficient, innovative buildings, a visit is also a chance to experience wine culture.