Landscape Transformed into Wine: The World of Bodegas Roda

In the heart of Haro’s legendary Railway Station District, one of the most iconic wine enclaves in Spain, stands one of the wineries that has best reinterpreted contemporary Rioja while remaining deeply connected to tradition: Bodegas Roda Founded in 1987 by Mario Rotllant and Carmen Daurella, the winery was created with a very clear philosophy: to craft Rioja wines from the vineyard upwards, focusing on the identity of each plot and on the purest expression of Tempranillo.

RODA represents a quiet revolution within Rioja. While many historic wineries built their identity around extended aging and the dominance of American oak, RODA chose from the very beginning a style more closely linked to fruit, landscape, and textural elegance. Their wines are recognized for the finesse of their tannins, aromatic precision, and the refined use of French oak, always serving the wine rather than overshadowing it.

The Railway Station District and the Essence of Rioja Alta

The winery is located above a 19th-century underground cellar excavated beside the Ebro River, in Haro’s famous Railway Station District, the historic heart of the DOCa Rioja. This enclave developed around the railway connection between Rioja and Bordeaux during the French phylloxera crisis.

RODA works mainly with old vineyards in Rioja Alta, together with selected parcels in Rioja Oriental. Many vines are bush-trained and farmed under sustainable viticultural practices. The age of the vines, natural balance, and low yields are essential to achieving the concentration and complexity found in the wines. Harvesting is carried out manually with meticulous grape selection.

One of the winery’s most fascinating concepts is its interpretation of Tempranillo according to the ripening profile of the fruit. At RODA, two distinct personalities of the variety are identified:

Red fruit expression: fresher, floral, vibrant — giving rise to Roda Reserva.
Black fruit expression: deeper, more mineral and spicy — defining Roda I.

This approach, almost Burgundian in its sensitivity, is one of the keys to the winery’s international prestige.

Winemaking: Precision, Gravity, and Respect for the Fruit

The facilities were specifically designed for parcel-based vinification. Fermentations take place in French oak vats with individual control, while both alcoholic and malolactic fermentations occur spontaneously. The wines are then aged in French oak barrels, generally combining new oak with one-wine barrels.

RODA’s philosophy avoids overripeness and instead seeks vibrant, fresh, and long-lived wines. Even in their most concentrated bottlings, freshness and balance remain at the core.

The winery is also highly committed to research and innovation. Since the late 1990s, RODA has developed several R&D projects related to viticulture, microbiology, and the preservation of Rioja’s vine heritage.

Tasting Notes of RODA’s Great Wines

Cirsion 2017

Cirsion is the winery’s flagship wine, produced only in exceptional vintages from carefully selected vines where the grapes develop a unique ripening profile and extraordinary tannic concentration.

The 2017 vintage delivers an intensely sophisticated profile. The nose reveals blackberries, dark plums, bitter cocoa, graphite, oriental spices, and delicate balsamic nuances. The fruit possesses remarkable depth without ever becoming heavy.

On the palate, it is both powerful and silky. The texture resembles liquid velvet, with exceptionally polished tannins and immense persistence. There is concentration, but also precision and freshness. A wine built for long aging, although already showing fascinating complexity today.

A truly world-class contemporary Rioja.

Roda I Reserva 2016

The 2016 vintage is considered one of Rioja’s finest recent harvests, and Roda I interprets it brilliantly.

This wine represents the black-fruit profile of Tempranillo. The nose is deep and elegant, dominated by ripe plum, black cherry, cocoa, fine tobacco, and mineral notes. The oak is perfectly integrated.

On the palate, it stands out for its depth and volume. It possesses more structure than Roda Reserva, yet retains a refined and fresh profile. The tannins are enveloping and noble, leading to a very long finish marked by black fruit and sweet spices.

An ideal companion for game dishes, red meats, or truffle-based cuisine, though equally captivating as a contemplative wine on its own.

Roda Reserva 2017

If Roda I represents black fruit, Roda Reserva embodies the red-fruit expression of Rioja.

The 2017 vintage shows an elegant and highly expressive nose, led by ripe cherries, raspberries, dried petals, delicate spices, and subtle balsamic undertones. Compared to Roda I, it feels more aerial and delicate.

On the palate, it is fluid, harmonious, and remarkably gastronomic. Freshness drives the wine, while the silky texture and perfectly integrated acidity provide energy and tension throughout the finish.

This is perhaps the wine that best summarizes the RODA style: balance, elegance, and the ability to move the drinker without relying on excess power.

Sela 2018

SELA is the gateway into the RODA universe. It comes from younger vineyards — although still between 15 and 30 years old — and aims for a more immediate and approachable profile.

The 2018 vintage offers a fresh and honest nose filled with cherries, raspberries, floral hints, and light spice notes. The oak aging is beautifully integrated and barely interferes with the fruit expression.

On the palate, it is juicy, vibrant, and extremely enjoyable to drink. It may have less depth than its older siblings, but it compensates with remarkable charm thanks to its balance between fruit, freshness, and texture.

A modern Rioja that is versatile, friendly, and highly food-oriented.

Rioja Elegance for the 21st Century

RODA has achieved something truly difficult: creating wines that are modern and unmistakable while remaining faithful to Rioja’s essence. Their parcel-driven philosophy, emphasis on fruit purity, obsession with texture, and extraordinary viticultural sensitivity have turned the winery into an international benchmark.

These wines do not seek to impress through sheer power, but through depth, harmony, and their ability to transmit a sense of place. And therein lies RODA’s greatness: wines that speak softly, yet leave an extraordinarily lasting impression.g))]” aria-hidden=”true”>