IN PARTNERSHIP WITH Ysios
Rewriting the script for modern Rioja
Flick through a textbook about wines from Rioja and the pages will be full of the old familiar terms: red wines labelled ‘crianza’ must spend a minimum of two years ageing before being released, including at least one year in 225-litre oak barricas, while ‘reserva’ wines must spend at least three years ageing, including at least one in oak. The ‘gran reserva’ wines, meanwhile, must age for five years, with a minimum of two years spent in oak.
Yet Bodegas Ysios is going beyond the traditional Rioja oak classifications and is concentrating instead on terroir-led wines, which capture a sense of the place. By focusing on the fruit rather than the wood, Ysios seeks to create wines that convey the unique characteristics of the vineyards in which its grapes were grown.
This focus on individual plots is led by chief winemaker Clara Canals, who guides her team towards less intervention and a greater preservation of the fruit’s aromas and flavours. Canals is at the forefront of Rioja’s ‘new wave’ movement, crafting wines with precision, freshness, and the ability to express the distinctive identity of the Ysios vineyards.
Concentrating on single vineyard sites goes hand in hand with Ysios’ commitment to sustainability and stewardship – in order to express the terroir of each plot, the winery must produce healthy grapes. Once the fruit is in the cellar, each parcel is vinified separately, with low-intervention winemaking techniques and refined oak ageing to produce balanced wines.
'Our avant-garde mindset honours the region’s traditions and allows us to discover new possibilities and push the boundaries of convention'
—Clara Canales
Photos Supplied by Bodegas Ysios
Published: 15th July 2026
Respecting tradition while pushing boundaries
While Ysios may be leading the way when it comes to expressing terroir in its wines, the company remains respectful of traditional techniques and is a strong defender of the heritage of the Rioja Alavesa sub-region.
Canals stands at the centre of this respect for tradition, having been born in Tarragona in Catalunya and raised in Logroño in Rioja, before embarking on a winemaking career which has taken her to different regions of Spain, as well as to France, Argentina, South Africa, and Australia.
‘It’s a great honour for me to be part of the Ysios family, an example of knowhow and respect for the Rioja Alavesa viticultural heritage,’ explains Canals. ‘Our avant-garde mindset honours the region’s traditions and allows us to discover new possibilities and push the boundaries of convention.’
‘We aim to produce honest wines that reflect their provenance, with a focus on each plot’s own distinctive characteristics. We have the responsibility to continue the work of generations of growers that shaped the identity of each one of our old vine vineyards.’
Canals celebrates the heritage of her Rioja Alavesa home by focusing on handpicked, old vine Tempranillo grapes, capturing the nuances delivered by each block, each soil type, and each microclimate. One of the most special examples is Fincas Las Naves, a vineyard that includes centenarian vines that date back to the period before phylloxera devastated Europe’s wine regions.
Discover more: bodegasysios.com/en
One of Rioja’s most exciting wineries is blending tradition with innovation to deliver wines that capture the unique identity of its vineyards
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Architecture that’s anchored in the landscape
Ysios’s blending of innovation and tradition is made possible thanks to its cutting-edge winery, which opened in 2001. Its design, by renowned architect Santiago Calatrava, is rooted in the surrounding landscape, with Barricas in the winery at Bodegas Ysios the waves of its striking roof echoing the peaks and passes of the Sierra Cantabria mountain range that lies beyond the winery.
Inside, the winery houses the vast array of fermentation tanks that are needed to vinify each plot separately. This combination of architectural innovation and winemaking precision allows visitors to the winery to discover the unexpected – whether it’s through the undulating design of the building or through the distinct characteristics of each vineyard.
Fans can enjoy the same journey at home or in restaurants too, simply by opening a bottle, with each wine telling the story of an individual place and individual moment.
