Rioja Alavesa's old-vine wealth

Rocky mountains wreathed in storm clouds loom over gnarled, grape-laden vines. Medieval hamlets perched on hills and the edifices of wineries – some quite rustic, others glossy and modern – dot the vine-covered landscape. I’m taking all this in, surrounded by vines planted nearly a century ago, on a hillside vineyard in Rioja Alavesa, the smallest of Rioja’s subregions. I’ve come here with the Old Vine Conference to explore the region’s wealth...