Bodegas Bilbaínas: Viña Pomal
On Gingerguide's self-guided La Rioja Bodegas audio tour, Bodegas Bilbaínas: Viña Pomal is a stop worth about ~90 min. Stand in front of it, press play for a short narrated story, and put any follow-up question to the built-in AI guide.
- Type distillery
- Suggested visit ~90 min
- La Rioja Bodegas La Rioja Bodegas guide
About Bodegas Bilbaínas: Viña Pomal
Bodegas Bilbaínas (founded 1901 in Haro) is one of the pioneering Basque wine houses that built the Rioja wine trade in the early 20th century, its Viña Pomal Reserva and Gran Reserva wines represent the classic Haro style, and its cellars include some of the oldest wine stocks in Rioja.
Bodegas Bilbaínas was founded in 1901 by a group of Bilbao businessmen who recognized the opportunity created by the phylloxera devastation of the French wine industry, Bordeaux merchants had been buying Rioja wine in bulk since the 1860s to fill the gap left by the destruction of French vineyards, and Bilbaínas was established to capitalize on this trade. The winery is located in the Barrio de la Estación, adjacent to the other great Haro houses, and maintains one of the largest cellars in the area. The flagship wines, Viña Pomal Reserva and Gran Reserva, are classic Haro-style Tempranillo wines, aged in American oak for extended periods. The winery also produces Viña Zaco (an approachable Tempranillo) and Ederra (a Crianza-level wine for everyday drinking). Bodegas Bilbaínas was acquired by the Codorníu-Raventós Group (the large Catalan wine company also known for its Cava production) in 1997.
Did you know? The railroad connection between Haro and the Basque port of Bilbao, completed in 1863, is one of the most important single pieces of infrastructure in the history of Spanish wine. Before the railroad, Rioja wine was transported by mule and cart to the Basque coast, a journey of several days on mountain roads. After the railroad, the journey took hours, and the wine could reach the ports of Bilbao and San Sebastián (and thence to France and the world) while still fresh. The railroad made bulk Rioja wine commercially viable as an export product.
How much time do you need at Bodegas Bilbaínas: Viña Pomal?
Around ~90 min works well for Bodegas Bilbaínas: Viña Pomal — time to look properly and listen to its story on the spot. Linger if you like; nothing on a self-guided walk is on a clock.
Should you stop at Bodegas Bilbaínas: Viña Pomal?
Yes — Bodegas Bilbaínas: Viña Pomal made the cut as one of 12 places the Gingerguide team researched and narrated across La Rioja Bodegas. The story tells you why it is worth the stop, and the AI guide fills in anything you still wonder.
Nearby stops in La Rioja Bodegas
Hear the story of Bodegas Bilbaínas: Viña Pomal
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