Viña Eguía: Rediscovering Rioja Alta, Alavesa and Oriental

Founded in 1926 in Elciego (Rioja), Muriel has long been a force of innovation, always with a nod to tradition – as with its Viña Eguía project. Having started as a single, eponymous winery, Muriel Wines has evolved to become one of Spain’s leading wine groups, and now counts several of the country’s most recognisable estates and brands under its umbrella. Its eight wineries produce wines in DOCa Rioja, DO Ribera del Duero and DO Rías Baixa, which reinterpret the regions’ heritage with a modern outlook.

Cosmopolitan authenticity

The group’s Viña Eguía – a project founded in 2010 as part of third-generation Javier Murúa’s expansion efforts – is yet another example of Muriel’s philosophy: cosmopolitanism anchored by a deep sense of place. Viña Eguía is both a reassessment of Rioja’s rich viticultural tradition and a hopeful interpretation of what the region’s future might look like. Against the backdrop of climate change and shifting consumer demand, Viña Eguía’s wines showcase the historical diversity and many stylistic possibilities offered by Rioja’s grapes and terroirs.

With 250ha of estate vineyards across Rioja’s three subregions – Alta, Alavesa and Oriental – and a further 500ha, in the former two, leased and directly managed, Viña Eguía is in a unique position to pursue balance and question assumptions. But terroir diversity is not the only factor at play: the vineyards the winery sources its grapes from comprise Rioja’s largest combined area of grapes other than Tempranillo. Viña Eguía works with seven white and five red varieties – both indigenous and international – challenging the hegemony of Rioja’s flagship grape and opening new blending possibilities for fresher, more approachable wines.

DEC302.adv13_muriel.eguia_bivarietales_uk.jpg

Contemporary interpretations

This array of terroirs and varieties provide the raw material for Viña Eguía’s three new ranges, each with a specific conceptual approach, to be released in the British market in 2025. The first, a collection of red, white and rosé blends, shows how complementary varieties can best capture the unmasked essence of Rioja. Meanwhile three single-varietal releases – Tempranillo from Elciego, Graciano from Laguardia and Garnacha from Alfaro – hone in on the specific character of each village’s terroirs. Finally, Eguía’s flagship range – three blends, one white and two reds, one of which hails from selected old vineyards – explores the balance between approachability and ageability with wines that will benefit from some time in the cellar but are also drinking superbly upon release.

Overall, the wines of Viña Eguía offer a contemporary overview of the history, evolution and potential of Rioja. Wines with a sense of place but a desire to travel, aimed for the wine lovers of tomorrow.