That 166-year history has been punctuated by firsts. Marqués de Riscal was the first producer to bottle a Rioja wine in 1862. From the early 1970s, it set the standard for modern Rueda as a producer of fruit-driven, dry white wines, and since the turn of the millennium has led the way in wine tourism, centred on its astonishing Frank Gehry-designed hotel in Elciego in Álava.
In partnership with Marqués de Riscal
We aim to set in motion a type of agriculture which allows our vines to live as long as possible.
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It should be no surprise, then, that this most forward-thinking of companies is at the forefront of combatting the single most important issue in the 21st-century wine industry: climate change.
Marqués de Riscal’s approach to this global problem is multi-faceted, but its guiding focus is the vineyard, and the health, resilience and longevity of the vines. As Francisco Hurtado de Amézaga, general technical and production director at Bodegas de los Herederos del Marqués de Riscal, explains, one of their key tools to protect and extend the life of the vines is the practice of regrafting.
Tackling the challenges of climate change
Forward-thinking winery Marqués de Riscal shares a new approach to Spanish winemaking
Adapting to a changing climate
‘The idea of re-grafting came from observing that the vines planted in the 1970s were not producing the same results as the older vines planted earlier,’ Amézaga recalls. ‘The option was either to grub up the vines or re-graft them – something which was looked down on at the time.’
Ultimately, the company chose to regraft with wood from the older vines, which were producing excellent fruit and were well adapted to coping with changes in vintage conditions. The crucial advantage of regrafting over grubbing up and starting from scratch is that the resulting new vine stocks already have deep, established root systems, and are soon able to produce high-quality wines.
After an initial successful trial at the Riscal estate in Rueda in 1995, the regrafting policy was introduced for the company’s vines in Rioja, and has greatly expanded since 2017 – since when a remarkable 180ha of vines have been re-grafted.
The wisdom of old vines
Another vital part of the company’s work on climate change is organic agriculture. Luis Hurtado de Amézaga, technical and production director of Marqués de Riscal’s Rueda operation, says this is central to the company’s aim ‘to set in motion a type of agriculture which allows our vines to live as long as possible.’ With 350ha of organic vineyards in Rueda, 370ha in Rioja and a further 100ha+ in conversion, Marqués de Riscal is one of Spain’s leading organic producers.
Marqués de Riscal has also led the way in regenerative agriculture, a farming philosophy that puts soil health at the top of the agenda. Tilling is kept to an absolute minimum, to increase the soil’s organic matter and carbon content and prevents oil erosion. With cover crops, and even trees and shrubs, planted between the vines, the resulting increase in biodiversity creates a virtuous circle for the vines as well as the soil, with the flourishing of animal and plant life protecting and enriching the vineyard.
Leading the way in organic viticulture
This holistic approach carries over into Riscal’s approach to pruning. Drawing on the work of the trailblazing Italian consultants, Simonit & Sirch, Riscal has reintroduced a traditional pruning method that is guided by the flow of the plant’s sap and avoids creating ‘wounds’ where potentially lethal diseases can enter the plant.
The method also helps the vines to better establish its roots and, therefore, become more efficient in retaining water and nutrients. These are essential attributes if the vines are to cope in ever-hotter vintages – and are yet another example of imaginative thinking on climate change from a company with innovation in its DNA.
Protecting the vines
Discover more: marquesderiscal.com
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arqués de Riscal is one of the true pioneers of modern Spanish wine, leading the way in shaping the identity of Rioja ever since its founding in 1858.
A classically styled blend of Tempranillo and Graciano, Riscal’s much-loved and widely acclaimed Rioja Reserva is sourced from vines that are over 50 years old in Rioja Alavesa. Perfectly balanced fruit is smoothed by 21 months’ ageing in American oak barrels for an expressive, polished, long and complex red.
Marqués de
Riscal Reserva
Riscal’s commitment to sustainable production shines through in this beautifully aromatic and refreshing Verdejo from the company’s Rueda vineyards, all 220ha of which are farmed organically. This Verdejo contains less than half the level of sulphur dioxide permitted in an organic wine.
Marqués de Riscal Verdejo
A perfect illustration of Marqués de Riscal’s balance of tradition and innovation, the XR is inspired by a custom dating back to 1869, whereby the cellar master would mark barrels of exceptionally well-developing wine with the letters ‘XR’. First introduced in 2015, XR is a complex red wine aged for 25 months in American oak, paying tribute to the many great winemakers who have secured Riscal’s place at the forefront of Rioja.
XR by Marqués de Riscal
