Bodegas Roda
While there are many wineries in Haro's Station District that have been in operation since the 1800s, Bodegas Roda is not one of them. This winery emerged a century later, taking up residence near the Ebro, where it began growingTempranillo grapes with old vines. After harvesting and maturing of the wines, barrels with red fruit aromas are used for a wine simply called Roda, while barrels with deeper, balsamic notes and black fruit aromas are used for Roda I. Though they come from the same region and vineyards and the same grapes, they are interpreted in two distinct ways. Old vines, particularly those grown in bush-trained vineyards, play a central role, and the current product lineup ranges from young red wines to Cirsion, as well as white wines made from Viura and its related varieties. Roda reflects a modern perspective on Rioja Alta, yet makes almost no compromises.
History
Roda was founded in 1987 by Mario Rotllant and Carmen Daurell, both of whom came from the beverage distribution industry; the two had spent a long time searching for the right location to start their wine business. Eventually, they chose Rioja Alta.
The address they chose speaks volumes. Haro's Barrio de la Estación, also known as Station District, is a wine cellar complex built around a railroad track that transported Rioja in the 19th century, and Roda is set among houses that have stood there for generations.
The construction took quite a long time. Begun in 1991 and completed in 2001, the project was carried out in three phases: the first phase was handled by architect Roses, while the final and most impressive phase was led by the studio of Llimona and Ruiz-Recorder. Beneath it all lies a 100-year-old underground cellar.
And the wines quickly began to attract attention. From the early 1990s onward, Roda was classified as a modern offshoot of Rioja, a distinction that, at the time, still carried the weight of a regional boundary. The Rotllant Daurella family continues to support this project, and the group's influence is now expanding beyond Rioja to include Ribera del Duero.
Old bush vines above the Ebro
Bodegas Roda is located along the banks of the Ebro River, and the vineyard management practices here are based almost entirely on the age of the vines. Old vines are the starting point, and bush-trained vines in particular play a central role. These are low-growing, free-standing vaso vines, a method cultivated by Rioja for centuries, which yield very little per vine.
Not all of the vineyards are old, and Roda makes no attempt to hide this fact. Sela, the winery's youngest wine, is produced from vineyards where the vines are 15 to 30 years old. The older vines are reserved for the winery's top-tier wines.
Vineyard selection is also the criterion that distinguishes Roda from Roda I. Rather than blending all the grapes together, Bodegas Roda divides the plots based on which of the two Tempranillo ripening profiles, red fruit or black fruit, they exhibit, and manages them separately until bottling.
White grapes are produced in a unique location: the upper section of a plot situated on the upper slope of an old Tempranillo vineyard, where Rioja has traditionally planted white grape varieties.
The grapes
Tempranillo forms the backbone of the wine. All other elements play a supporting role, and the nature of this supporting role varies depending on the wine.
- Tempranillo harvested from old vines forms the backbone of Roda, Roda I, and Cirsion.
- Garnacha: A variety that has long supported red blends
- Graciano: A variety used in small quantities to add vibrancy and a firm structure
- Viura: The primary variety used in RODA I Blanco
- Malvasía de Rioja and Garnacha Blanca: Secondary varieties for white wines
There isn't a single exotic variety on this list, and that, in fact, is the whole point. Bodegas Roda sticks to the classic Rioja varieties, placing emphasis on which vineyard the grapes were harvested from.
Winemaking
At Bodegas Roda, most decisions are made before the fruit is placed in the tanks. Bunches of grapes are sorted based on their ripening characteristics, and grapes exhibiting red fruit characteristics are never mixed with those exhibiting black fruit characteristics. Two different wines are produced from a single grape variety and a single growing region.
Cirsion takes it one step further. This wine is made from individually selected clusters, which were harvested because the grapes were exceptionally ripe. It is a slow and meticulous process designed to produce only a small number of bottles.
RODA I Blanco finally made its debut only after years of experimentation and tastings. Producing a white wine at this winery, famous for Tempranillo, required considerable effort, and the winery waited until it achieved satisfactory results.
Research is also part of the winery's daily routine. Roda operates its own R&D program alongside its day-to-day winemaking operations.
The wines
This lineup is simple and easy to understand. Sela is an entry-level wine made from grapes harvested from relatively young vineyards. RODA expresses the red fruit flavors of Tempranillo, while RODA I expresses black fruit flavors; both wines are released under the name Reserva.
Cirsion is a top-tier wine made from hand-harvested grapes, produced in limited quantities to reflect the carefully selected grapes.
RODA I Blanco is the winery's first white wine, a relatively new offering based on Viura, which is grown in the higher, cooler sections of the vineyard.
The same house also offers the extra virgin olive oils Aubocassa and L'Amo, which can be sampled at the winery's tasting events. Therefore, while most visitors come specifically for the red wines, the winery's overall product lineup is much broader than just red wines.
Frequently asked questions
Where is Bodegas Roda?
In Haro, Rioja Alta, at Avenida Vizcaya 5, in the Barrio de la Estación on a balcony above the Ebro river.
What is the difference between RODA and RODA I?
Both are Tempranillo-based Reservas from the same house. RODA comes from fruit with a red-fruit ripening character, RODA I from fruit with darker, more balsamic black fruit.
Who owns Bodegas Roda?
The Rotllant Daurella family, whose members Mario Rotllant and Carmen Daurell started the project.
Can you visit the winery?
Yes. Bodegas Roda runs tours and tastings in Spanish, English and French, plus a street-level wine bar in a nineteenth-century cellar in the Station District, which you can use without going into the winery itself.
