Rioja Gran Reserva with chuleton
The Basque country's great aged-beef chop, seared over embers, meets the resolved tannins and savoury oak of a long-aged Rioja Gran Reserva.
What to eat with the wines of Rioja, and where the region food and wine meet.
Pairings to know in Rioja
Rioja Reserva with roast lamb
Vine-shoot-roasted suckling lamb is the canonical Rioja match; the sweet fat is framed by the wine's fine tannin and dried-cherry savour.
Barrel-aged white Rioja with bacalao al pil pil
Salt cod in its emulsified garlic-oil sauce finds its peer in the waxy, nutty, saline texture of an oak-aged white Rioja.
Rioja rosado with the Gilda pintxo
San Sebastian's original pintxo, all salt, acid and chilli, sharpens the saline citrus of a serious gastronomic Rioja rosado.
White Rioja with kokotxas de merluza
Gelatinous hake cheeks in pil pil echo the rich, nutty depth of a barrel-aged white Rioja while its acidity keeps the dish lifted.
Varietal Graciano with game
Dark, peppery, high-acid Graciano stands up to the gaminess of venison and wild bird where many Tempranillos would fade.
Modern Rioja with author pintxos
A varied crawl of creative pintxos calls for a bright, supple, fruit-forward modern Rioja that flatters everything from croquetas to grilled prawns.
Icon Rioja with venison loin
The most concentrated modern Riojas, with their cassis-and-graphite density and velvet tannin, meet the richness of roast venison.
Monopole-style white with fresh anchovy
Cantabrian marinated anchovy and a saline, manzanilla-edged or racy white Rioja are a coastal natural, salt meeting citrus and mineral.
Off-dry white Rioja with Basque cheesecake
The burnt-top Basque cheesecake's caramelised sweetness is echoed by a gently off-dry, floral white Rioja for an easy regional dessert match.
Taste it with the wine: food and wine experiences in Rioja
Food and wine tastings, wine and cheese tastings and cellar visits you can book in Rioja, best reviewed first.
Private La Rioja Day: Visit 2 Premium Wineries with lunch.
Explore La Rioja wine region, where we'll visit two wineries. Indulge in tastings of 8 selected wines and savor lunch in a medieval village with a wine connoisseur. Li...
Logroño: guided visit + tasting of 3 wines at Viña Ijalba
Discover Viña Ijalba, a pioneer in organic viticulture in Rioja. Just five minutes from the center, enjoy a tour with a tasting of three premium wines, accompanied by ...
La Rioja Biosphere Organic Pig Farm and Ham and Wine Tasting
Discover the heart of La Rioja! Visit our certified organic farm in the Biosphere Reserve, meet our free-range Duroc pigs, and end with a guided gourmet tasting of org...
Rioja: CVNE Winery guided visit and wine tasting
With this visit, you can discover centuries-old wines in the Wine Cemetery, personalize bottles, and taste unique flavors at the Wine Bar, among other activities.
Winery and traditional lunch from Pamplona or Logroño
The best way to know the basics of the Spanish Rioja wines, along with a traditional Spanish lunch.
Logrono: Bodegas Arizcuren
An experience to discover the full potential of the vineyards and the most special wines of the Arizcuren Arizcuren project.
Food and wine tastings in Rioja (5) · Wine tastings and winery visits in Rioja (14) · Wine tours and day trips in Rioja (13) · All wine and food experiences
What Rioja's grapes pair with
From the pairings on our Rioja bottle pages, the best match for each grape in a few kinds of food, with the bottle it comes from.
Tempranillo with beef and red meat
Chuleton de buey
Aged-beef chop frames the wine's fine tannin and savoury oak.
Tempranillo with lamb
Cordero asado
Slow-roast lamb's sweet fat is the historic foil for aged Tondonia.
Vina Tondonia Gran Reserva, R. Lopez de Heredia Vina Tondonia →
Tempranillo with charcuterie and cured meats
Jamon iberico de bellota
Acorn-fed ham's nutty fat lifts the wine's walnut and cured-meat savour.
Viura with fish
Bacalao al pil pil
Salt cod in its emulsified oil meets the wine's waxy texture and saline lift.
Vina Tondonia Blanco Reserva, R. Lopez de Heredia Vina Tondonia →
Viura with oysters and shellfish
Grilled lobster
Weight and acidity suit rich shellfish.
Vina Tondonia Blanco Gran Reserva, R. Lopez de Heredia Vina Tondonia →
Viura with chicken and white meat
Grilled chicken with herbs
Oak and body suit poultry.
Grenache with charcuterie and cured meats
Jamon iberico de bellota
Acorn-fed ham's nutty fat lifts the wine's walnut and cured-meat savour.
Grenache with lamb
Cordero asado
Slow-roast lamb's sweet fat is the historic foil for aged Tondonia.
Vina Tondonia Gran Reserva, R. Lopez de Heredia Vina Tondonia →
Grenache with beef and red meat
Chuleton de buey
Aged-beef chop frames the fine, savoury tannin.
Graciano with beef and red meat
Chuleton de buey
A grand aged-beef chop for the house's icon wine.
Graciano with game
Venison loin
Dark game meets the wine's cassis-and-espresso density.
Graciano with cheese
Aged hard cheese
Crystalline cheese sharpens the mineral finish.
Carignan with beef and red meat
Chuleton de buey
Aged-beef chop frames the wine's fine tannin and savoury oak.
Carignan with aperitifs and small plates
Gilda pintxo
The anchovy-olive-guindilla skewer's salt sharpens the rose's redcurrant lift.
Carignan with game
Game stew
The producer suggests game.
Garnacha Blanca with fish
Bacalao al pil pil
Salt cod's emulsified oil meets the white's creamy texture.
Garnacha Blanca with beef and red meat
Braised beef
The producer suggests braised beef.
Garnacha Blanca with charcuterie and cured meats
Jamon iberico
The producer suggests Iberian ham and cold cuts.
Book wine experiences in Rioja
Rioja: Wine tour with a winery owner
Taste selected wines at 3 different wineries in Rioja. Visit our own winery from 1881, La Bodega del Tesoro. Enjoy a traditional lunch in a wooden wine press.
Rioja: Wine Tour with Tastings at 3 Wineries & Pintxos Lunch
Discover Rioja on a full-day wine tour visiting 3 wineries in Rioja Alta and Alavesa. Taste local wines, explore wine country and enjoy a traditional pintxos lunch.
Rioja: Private Wine Tasting Tour
This full day tour combines wine tastings in the world renowned Rioja area and lunch in a local restaurant. You will discover the wonders of two intriguing cellars.
Wine tastings and winery visits in Rioja (14) · Wine tours and day trips in Rioja (13)
Food Pairing in Rioja, FAQ
When is the best time to visit Rioja for wine?
Peak wine-travel season in Rioja is spring through autumn, with harvest the standout window.
Do I need an appointment to taste at Rioja estates?
classified-growth and grand-cru estates require booking days to weeks ahead; smaller family domaines often take walk-ins midweek.
What hours do Rioja cellars and tasting rooms keep?
most estates open 10:00 to 17:00 by appointment, often closed Sunday and Monday.
How does tipping work at Rioja tastings?
tipping is not expected at tastings; buying a bottle from the cellar door is the customary thank-you.
What is the one wine to try in Rioja?
Ask the next local you meet what they would order. Rioja rewards trust.