The autonomous region of La Rioja, with its capital Logroño, is located in the north of Spain and covers 5,045 km². It borders Castile-León and Aragon to the west, south and east and the Basque Country and Navarre to the north. The northern border is roughly identical to the course of the River Ebro. The name is derived from the river Oja (Rio Oja).

The area has a very old wine-growing history. Numerous stone-carved fermentation basins have been preserved that bear witness to viticulture as far back as ancient times. The guardaviñas found in Rioja Alta in Ábalos, Briones and San Asensio are particularly typical. These dome-shaped stone constructions were used as shelters for winegrowers and their livestock in bad weather and for monitoring harvests.
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Egon Mark
Diplom-Sommelier, Weinakademiker und Weinberater, Volders (Österreich)