Cultured Traveler: Beyond the Vines in Rioja, Spain

Written By Unknown on Minggu, 21 Oktober 2012 | 17.35

James Rajotte for The New York Times

La Finca de los Arandinos, a hotel near Logroño. More Photos »

THE taverns that line the historic quarter of Logroño, the capital of the Rioja region of Spain, were teeming with people sharing morros (pork cheek), patatas bravas (fried potatoes with spicy tomato sauce) and other temptations. But I wanted none of it.

After spending three days there on a vigorous diet of meats, starches and seafood, my stomach begged for a fresh salad. My boyfriend was about to cave and order our 100th sardine-on-bread tapa when I spotted a plate of bright red tomatoes, onions and greens at a hole in the wall called La Taberna de Baco.

Elbowing my way in, I flagged down the lady behind the counter and asked for the name of the salad. "Ensalada!" she shouted back, and I sensed in her tone a combination of amusement and annoyance, as if to say, "What else could it possibly be named?"

It turns out that this was the restaurant's signature dish. La Taberna de Baco's owners work with a nearby farmer to grow their own tomatoes, onions and green guindilla peppers. Then they mix these ingredients with whatever else might be available and appetizing, like chunky canned tuna or briny anchovies. The result was memorable; it didn't need much dressing, and it certainly didn't need a fancy name.

That sort of authenticity is plentiful in La Rioja, a dynamic region that is one of Spain's most prosperous — or, these days, among the least financially troubled. What stands out is its bygone, delightful simplicity.

The region has in the last decade risen to prominence by producing high-quality red wine at prestigious bodegas like R. López de Heredia, Marqués de Murrieta and Muga. My interest in La Rioja was piqued because of my affection for tempranillo, the predominant local grape. But there was more to this rural area of northern Spain. What eventually pulled me there were its unsung attractions: historic towns, longstanding artisan traditions and the people keeping them alive.

Armed with a stack of recommendations, I planned a journey that would crisscross the nearly 2,000-square-mile area, with stops at hotels, restaurants and local artisans specializing in cheese, sausage and textiles.

The first stop was Haro, a town on the Ebro River four hours' drive from Madrid. The city, which dates back to the 10th century, has an attractive old quarter with labyrinthine stone streets, tile-roofed houses with wrought-iron balconies colored by flowers, a Gothic church and tidy plazas that double as social clubs. Residents also converge at unassuming tapas bars and family restaurants offering fantastic food.

We had instructions from a lifelong Riojan to stop in one of them, Terete, where apron-clad waiters delivered bowls of slow-roasted lamb. Our portion wasn't much to look at. It arrived ungarnished, with half a leg sticking out the side, but its flavor and texture were delightfully delicate. Since it opened in 1877, this culinary institution has been sourcing its meat from nearby meadows, and by way of proof displays an embalmed baby lamb near the entrance. For a second, I felt guilty.

That night we stayed at a tastefully decorated bed-and-breakfast in the adjacent village of San Asensio whose rural charm waned at dawn, when a rooster began to crow, and then a donkey began braying. So we checked out early and fled to Finca de los Arandinos, a new countryside hotel near Logroño that proves that La Rioja, if not particularly sophisticated, can be quite cool.

Built in concrete and glass by the local architect Javier Arizcuren, the hotel's low-slung structure has a spartan look that respects its pastoral setting. For the interior, the Madrid-based designer David Delfín installed modern, playful furnishings. Sections of the rooms are hidden behind various doors, fun-house style: one slides to reveal an oversize sink, another conceals a desk, yet another a rain shower. We ordered glasses of the house red and watched the sun set over the Moncalvillo Mountains while lounging on a terrace framed by olive trees.

Maybe because of the wine, or the heavenly silence, we overslept the next morning and almost missed our appointed lunch at Venta Moncalvillo, 10 minutes away in Daroca de Rioja. The restaurant specializes in Riojan food, which is driven by seasonal ingredients and simply prepared. The cuisine has been overshadowed by the wine industry but chefs like the brothers Ignacio and Carlos Echapestro have won it international recognition with a Michelin-starred restaurant.

The two opened Venta Moncalvillo 15 years ago with no training beyond what their mother had taught them about cooking (she's still a vital presence in the kitchen). At first, they served humble stews and Spanish classics like stuffed red peppers. But eventually, with Ignacio at the helm, they veered toward a more elaborate style, though still driven by locally harvested products. "This wasn't a restaurant created to earn a Michelin star," Carlos Echapestro said. "We wanted to stay close to our roots, serve food and treat people as if they were guests in our home."


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