Marque de Riscal & The Basque Country
Alava, Spain
A masterpiece in the Basque country of spain - designed by none other than Frank Gehry, creator of Bilbao’s Guggenheim Museum - Marque de Riscal is a highly sought after contemporary, luxury retreat. Design, art, gastronomy, wine and the lush landscape all combine to create a unique and memorable experience. Set in the city of wine, an area of great natural beauty, the rolling hills around the Hotel Marqués de Riscal are a treasure trove of experiences and sensations. Lovers of wine will revel in the expansive vineyard, dating back to 1858, making Marqués de Riscal the oldest winery in the region. You can learn more about wine-making on one of the daily tours of the vineyard’s state-of-the-art facilities. The fascinating journey from grapevine to bottle unfolds as you make your way from fermenting rooms to ageing rooms stacked high with oak barrels, to the enormous cellar housing eight million bottles of wine. A veritable viticulture ”˜cathedral’, the cellar contains vintages dating back to 1862.
The Spa Vinothérapie Caudalie Marqués de Riscal is the perfect place to relax and indulge in the health and beauty properties of the grape. Specialist vinotherapists trained in the Bordeaux wine region employ treatments based on the essence of the grape to cleanse, soothe and invigorate the skin. In a Barrel Bath, you'll soak in a bubbly mix of grape pomace as you gaze out over peaceful rows of vines disappearing into the distance. Other treatments include the popular Merlot, honey and wine body wraps and crushed Cabernet scrubs”¦