Discovering the Bodegas de Quel neighbourhood
It all started one morning in May, when we received an email from a certain Roberto Herce. The message said something like, ‘I think this might interest you,’ and of course, how could we not be curious? Before calling him, we did what any human being in the digital age would do: we researched.
And that’s when we came across a talk by Roberto on the podcast Vino para Camaleones, run by the brilliant Ferran Pacheco, where they always talk about wine, but from a fresh and different perspective, wine with a low bullshit factor.
In that talk, Roberto was very animated, but it wasn’t just what he was saying, it was how he was saying it. He had a passion that captivated you from the very first minute, especially when he started talking about the Quel Winery District, a fascinating corner of La Rioja Baja that, honestly, we didn’t even know existed.
It turns out that this district has an incredible history. At one time there were more than 350 wineries dug into a small hill on the right bank of the Cidacos River.
It wasn’t long before I picked up the phone and called him. And if I was already hooked on the podcast, talking to him directly won me over completely.
Roberto doesn’t just know about wine, he lives wine! He spoke to us with the same energy about this neighbourhood and we were convinced that we had to meet them both, both Roberto and the wine cellar neighbourhood, in person.
A few months later, taking advantage of a trip we had planned to La Rioja, we made a trip to Quel. There he was, along with a group of super nice people, ready to guide us on a tour of the winery district. It was one of those experiences you don’t expect.
Roberto told us with simplicity and amazing knowledge the history of this place and how wine has been a fundamental part of its culture.
These wineries form part of what are known as ‘wine neighbourhoods’, which emerged centuries ago as a practical solution for families who cultivated vineyards.
Wine needed a cool place to be stored, and what better than to dig straight into a hill? This is how these neighbourhoods came about, usually located on the slopes of villages, making the most of the terrain.
The wineries were authentic feats of engineering for the time. They had an exterior part, where the grapes were trodden, and in the underground part the wine was stored and fermented. Although they are no longer used so much to make wine, they still retain their original structure, which makes them true witnesses of time.
In Rioja Baja, back in the 1950s, the cooperative wineries began to take the lead in the production and commercialisation of wine, which meant that the traditional family wineries began to lose prominence. But many of those wineries are still standing today.
Of course, they have changed a little in use: now they are more like picnic areas (txokos) where people get together to have a good time, or they have even been converted into homes, although they retain their original essence.
And this is where Roberto comes in, who dreams of restoring them to their former splendour. His mission is to revive wine production in these traditional wineries, just as his ancestors did. For him, it is not just a question of preserving an architectural heritage, but of reviving a tradition that forms part of the soul of the region. So, while today they are enjoyed as picnic spots, Roberto is determined that they will soon be filled with crushed grapes again, bringing back that magic that only wine can give.
After the visit, he organised a tasting of the wines he produces himself, ‘for fun’, as he says. And no, it wasn’t one of those technical tastings where they talk about tannin and colour until you’re bored. This was a FUN tasting. We chatted, drank, laughed, ate and time flew by. Without realising it, we were all so comfortable that it seemed like we had known each other all our lives. Wine and the magic of sharing it! If there’s one thing wine is, it’s social.
One of the things that impressed me the most is that Roberto, together with other families in the neighbourhood, are fighting to promote this treasure. Although nowadays the neighbourhood is open to anyone who is interested, they want to make it something more permanent and accessible to everyone. If you have the opportunity, don’t hesitate to visit the Bodegas de Quel neighbourhood.
Today, although wine is no longer made as it once was in these neighbourhoods of wineries, thanks to Roberto’s interest, all is not said and done. Perhaps very soon we will see how these wineries resume their historical role and go back to doing what they do best: wine.
