When it comes to wine in San Sebastian, we know it’s all about the native crisp and tangy txakoli. However, the world-famous La Rioja wine region is at the Basques’ doorstep. In just under two hours, you can go from surfing the waves to sipping the delicious wines at any number of wineries near San Sebastian.
La Rioja is divided into three provinces, with two of them bordering The Basque Country: La Rioja Alavesa and La Rioja Alta. We’ve picked eight charming bodegas across the two regions to quench your thirst for Spanish vino while you soak up the idyllic landscapes and historic villages.
Wineries Near San Sebastian: La Rioja Alavesa
This province belongs to the Basque territory of Alava and is the closest to San Sebastian. The Tempranillo grapes from this area thrive in a colder Atlantic climate. This allows a longer growing season and produces lighter-bodied wines.
Bodegas Marqués de Riscal
Is that the Guggenheim? No, but you are not far off! Unmistakably designed by the same architect, Frank Gehry, Marqués de Riscal is a feast for your eyes and a delight for your taste buds. This steel-covered bodega from 1858 is also a spa & hotel offering wine treatments. It is perfect for a weekend getaway from San Sebastián!
Marqués de Riscal has been chosen as the second-best winery in the world for the last three years. Try their best-selling Gran Reserva.
Traveler’s tip: Their wine tours tend to fill up quickly so book your tickets in advance to secure your spot.
Bodegas Ysios
Another architectural gem, Ysios, is a boutique bodega located on the foothills of Sierra de Cantabria. Crafted by renowned Spanish designer, Santiago Calatrava, it is the most Instragrammable spot in La Rioja. His creation is a metallic take on the mountain ranges behind it.
Sip their Ysios Blanco for a change from the Tinto, red wine. This white wine comes from the old vine Viura and is fermented in French oak barrels.
Bodegas El Fabulista
Travel to 13th-century Spain with this subterranean winery! You can find El Fabulista in the quaint village of Laguardia, a must-visit medieval fortified town where cars are prohibited. The special allure of Laguardia lies beneath its cobblestone streets, where a network of 300 caves await you, including underground tunnels that are still used to store and age wine.
Bodegas Fabulista is a fun and kid-friendly option as their wine experience includes dramatized tours and activities for young visitors.
Bodegas Baigorri
Bodegas Baigorri is a Basque-proud wine house. This is the youngest winery on our list. Founded in 2001, Baigorri embraces the latest technology in winemaking methods. Their seven underground floors are impeccable. Above them, there’s a glass box restaurant that gives a 360-degree view of Sierra de Cantabria and the vineyards.
Sample wine modernity with their Baigorri de Garage, made with Tempranillo grapes using cutting-edge techniques such as vertical fermentation in small oak vats.
Wineries Near San Sebastian: La Rioja Alta
This subregion has the longest winemaking tradition, dating back to the Roman Era. It is home to the wine capital of Spain, Haro, and has the biggest concentration of bodegas in La Rioja. The wine trade in Haro grew so much that the town became the first in Spain to install electric streetlights in 1891.
Nowadays, it is also known for celebrating the world’s largest Wine Fight!
Bodegas Muga
Fancy a hot air balloon ride soaring over the stunning vineyards of La Rioja?
Have a truly unforgettable experience at Bodegas Muga with their hour-long hot air balloon rides if you visit at the weekend or during holiday periods. Enjoy their refreshing Cava Conde de Haro on a hot summer’s day.
Another alternative activity they provide is a guided Segway visit to their vineyards. Muga’s Segway excursion includes a guided tour, wine tasting, and a cooper workshop.
Bodegas López de Heredia Viña Todonia
The wine industry is experiencing an increase in female-led wineries and Bodegas López de Heredia Viña Todonia is proof of that. Sisters María José (managing director) and Mercedes (winemaker) are Lopez de Heredia’s great-granddaughters and belong to a group of women leading the way in Spanish wine.
Support this female-led business and visit Viña Todonia which has 147 years of history and it’s the oldest winery in Haro.
Bodegas Vivanco
If you are a wine nerd, Bodegas Vivanco is the place for you. This wine estate is home to the Museum of Wine Culture which is regarded as one of the most comprehensive wine museums in the world. The 5 permanent exhibition halls offer a journey through the evolution of viticulture.
The Vivanco family has been in the wine industry for four generations and has accumulated knowledge, artefacts, and art pieces for almost 100 years. The museum also features an impressive collection of wine-themed art, including works by Picasso, Sorolla, and Miró.
We recommend booking their combined guided museum and wine-tasting tour.
Bodegas Bilbainas
Bodegas Bilbainas is the longest-standing wine house in La Rioja Alta and one of the few château estates in the area. The estate maintains a French je ne sais quoias as it was originally founded by Bordeaux wine merchants in 1859. In 1901, it was taken over by a business group from Bilbao. The highlight of their wine-tasting tour is visiting the vintage 3,400m² underground cellars.
Now that you’re ready for your fabuloso road trip to look for Spain’s top wineries near San Sebastian, how about a trip through San Sebastian’s top tapas and wine? Check out our San Sebastian Ultimate Pintxos & Wine Tour, where you’ll experience first-hand why San Sebastian truly is a remarkable gastronomic paradise.
Ylenia Enriquez is a proud Basque writer, teacher, and traveler. Born and bred in San Sebastián, at 22, she traded rainy Donostia for an even rainier city, London. At 30, she chased the sun instead and is now based in Melbourne, Australia. She usually writes for the El Patio Spanish blog. Follow her on Instagram @ylesworld.