The temple of wine, the most spectacular wineries

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The temple of wine, the most spectacular wineries

In this article we offer you just a few examples of these cathedrals of wine such as the Marqués de Riscal winery in Elciego, the Tradición winery in Jerez de la Frontera, Vega Sicilia in Valladolid or Ysios in Laguardia, wineries designed by architects of the stature of Santiago Calatrava, Frank Gehry or Rafael Moneo.

Wine, design and art, the most spectacular wineries have known how to combine amazing avant-garde constructions with functionality to achieve the best possible quality in wine production and ageing.

The temple of Ysios, in Laguardia

In Laguardia, province of Álava, we find one of the most daring and striking wineries. The Valencian architect Santiago Calatrava designed a singular and avant-garde building as a place of worship and production of top-quality wines. If the estate's wine glass shape is striking, the building is spectacular, made of concrete clad with wooden slats.

The roof is its fundamental element, since it simulates sea waves on vines. The outer finish is in natural aluminium. This winery was opened in 2001. Its name, Ysios, pays homage to Isis and Osiris, two Egyptian divinities closely associated to wine.

Art gallery in the winery

The Bodega Tradición winery, in Jerez de la Frontera, Cadiz, makes wine and brandy with Jerez Designation of Origin following tradition and ancient ageing methods. It was established in order to recover traditional Sherry-making procedures.

But the added value of this Cadiz winery is the wonderful art gallery housed within its walls. Opened in 2006, it contains a selection of 300 works from the Colección Joaquín Rivero of Spanish painting, including grand masters from the 15th to 19th century: Goya, Velázquez, Zurbarán, Madrazo or Lucas Villamil are some of the artists visitors will enjoy.

La Catedral de Marqués de Riscal, in Elciego

The Marques de Riscal winery in Elciego Alava, has become a museum. Building of the first winery started in 1858. Inside these facilities, now used for ageing wine in barrels, we have La Catedral, a bottle-rack where Marqués de Riscal keeps its most valuable treasure, a unique collection of bottles from all the years produced since 1862. In the long and silent corridors of La Catedral the wines sleep surrounded by mould and cobwebs, vital for preserving this legacy as the mould keeps the bottles cool and the spiders eat any insects that could spoil the wines.

Increased wine production meant that this winery's facilities had to be expanded in 1883, an expansion repeated in 1968 and 2000.

Señorío de Arínzano, a design by Moneo

In the heart of Navarre, Aberín, we have the amazing property of Arínzano, a protected space with a rich natural habitat. The entrance to the winery, designed by the famous Spanish architect Rafael Moneo and commissioned by the Chivite family, serves as an inspiration for a new brand identity of the Arínzano estate. The winery embodies the owners' philosophy: it forms part of the landscape as a new natural element and is built with materials that respect the environment. The interior combines the most modern technology with traditional techniques. The Chivite family acquired the Arínzano property in 1988 convinced that the exclusiveness of the soil, its history, art and environment, would produce unique, top-quality wines. Due to this, Arínzano is one of the wineries in Spain with the status of "Pago" (estate-bottled) and the first in the north of Spain.

Freixenet, the magical world of cava

Freixenet is a family business which has managed to become one of the world's largest sparkling wine producers and the largest in Spain. The company currently owns different wineries in the world's most important wine-producing regions. Freixenet is found in the heart of the Penedés region in Sant Sadurní d´Anoia.

The oldest part of the winery was built in 1922 and the most traditional methods of producing cava and application of the most cutting edge technology are perfectly combined inside its walls.

Castilian winery, Vega Sicilia

The Vega Sicilia wineries are found in Valbuena de Duero, Valladolid. The winery still preserves its sombre appearance of a Castilian mansion. Inside there is a chapel, built by the first owners and with the name of Santa Cecilia. The estate's name is thought to come from this. The winery has a plantation of 250 hectares of vineyard, 80% of which is the native tinto fino or tempranillo de la Ribera and the remainder are cabernet sauvignon, merlot and malbec.

Torelló, the most family winery

After 22 generations, Bodega Torelló continues to own the estate and are still as passionate about producing its wines and cavas. La Masía de Can Martí de Baix includes a house and winery, in addition to a wonderful space for tastings and holding events. Torelló only produces Reserva cavas (more than 15 months' ageing) and Gran Reserva cavas (more than 30 months' ageing).

Sumarroca, the value of innovation

The combination of family tradition and innovation has turned the Sumarroca winery into one of the country's most important. Since 1983, the Sumarroca family endeavours to achieve wines and cavas with great personality and character.

The winery is involved in an interesting research project on the development of the vineyard. Carles Sumarroca, in collaboration with the Rovira &Virgili University in Tarragona has started an experimental study of 360 varieties of vines from the whole world to identify its DNA and thus achieve the best quality wine.

ADDRESSES

YSIOS
Camino de la Hoya, s/n. 01300 Laguardia (Álava) Tel.: 945 600 640. e-mail: ysios@domecqbodegas.com

BODEGAS TRADICIÓN
Plaza Cordobeses, 3. 11408 Jerez de la Frontera, Cadiz. Tel.: 956 168 628. e-mail: edavis@bodegastradicion.com

MARQUÉS DE RISCAL
Calle Torrea 1. 01340 Elciego, Álava. Tel.: 945 606 000. e-mail: marquesderiscal@marquesderiscal.com

SEÑORÍO DE ARINZANO
Carretera Estella-Tafalla, N-132, km. 3. Aberin 31264. Tel.: 948 5525 285. e-mail: info@bodegaschivite.com

FREIXENET
Joan Sala, 2. 08770 Sant Sadurni d'Anoia. Barcelona. Tel.: 938 917 000.

VEGA SICILIA
Carretera N-122, Km. 323, Finca Vega Sicilia, 47359 Valladolid. Tel.: 983 680 147.

TORELLO
Can Martí de Baix. Apdo. nº. 808770 San Sadurní d’Anoia, Barcelona. Tel.: 938 910 793. e-mail: torello@torello.es

SUMARROCA
El Rebato s/n. 08739 Subirats, Barcelona. Tel.: 938 911 092. e-mail: sumarroca@sumarroca.com