We Are Our Vineyards
The Arizcuren family has cultivated vineyards on the eastern slopes of the Sierra de Yerga - one of Rioja’s highest and most iconic areas - for over a century. Our legacy spans at least five generations of viticulturalists and still today underpins the Arizcuren project, blending tradition and innovation in every bottle.
We use certified organic methods, along with some biodynamic practices, to cultivate our Mazuelo, Viura and Garnacha grapes. We’re also working to revive forgotten varieties such as Calagraño, Tinta Velasco and Miguel de Arco, which are still growing in plots planted by our ancestors and which we believe have huge potential for enriching Rioja’s diversity.
Though our production is small (25,000 bottles a year), our impact is large. Our wines sell in over 20 countries and in dozens of Michelin starred restaurants, as well as having won acclaim from critics such as Tim Atkin MW, James Suckling and Sarah Jane Evans MW, who has described Arizcuren as “one of Rioja’s innovators”.
« We use certified organic methods, along with some biodynamic practices, to cultivate our Mazuelo, Viura and Garnacha grapes. »
Past, Present & Future
“The most innovative thing is, ironically, to return to one’s roots. We aim for a natural balance in our vineyards, allowing the terroir to authentically express itself through our wine.”
—Javier Arizcuren
By harnessing our past, we nurture our present - our nature and landscapes. Because we recognise our vineyards are just a small part of a larger system, we use regenerative viticultural practices to support their harmonious integration into surrounding ecosystems.
And by nurturing our present, we invest in our future. By building a viticultural heritage that not only has its own distinct identity but complements Rioja’s incredible diversity, we equip Arizcuren to continue gaining both national and international recognition.
The Sierra de Yerga
Arizcuren's Logroño neighbourhood of Bodegas-Cueva, sitting at just 500 meters above sea level, has been recorded as a settlement since the 16th century and is connected to Monte Gatún, the highest point in the Sierra de Yerga, at an altitude of 1,511m, by a north-facing slope, where vineyards have existed for centuries.
The limestone-rich soils here, formed from natural deposits in the quaternary period, are uniquely suited to sustainable viticulture. Their composition of volcanic rock, quartz, sandstone, layers of clay, iron-rich earth, silt, and sand, offer excellent structure and drainage, while bands of fractured limestone allow vines to root deeper in search of water, reducing the need for irrigation and intervention.
The sierra’s Mediterranean-Continental climate and the fresh Cierzo wind that sweeps through the Ebro Valley, along with their northern orientation and high altitude, give our vineyards sunny summer days without excessive heat, allowing the grapes to mature slowly. It’s an unbeatable combination for grape varieties like Mazuelo and Garnacha, that ripen slowly to develop an elegant, upright flavour profile of well-defined fruits, floral notes, and a mineral backbone, with no heavy overripeness.