Summary
Bodegas LAN from Fuenmayor is one of the best-known names in Rioja – on Spanish supermarket shelves as much as on wine lists abroad. Founded in 1972, the winery carries its origins in its name: Logroño, Álava and Navarra, the three provinces of the DOCa Rioja. Its real treasure is the Viña Lanciano vineyard, around 72 hectares of vines in a meander of the Ebro. The range stretches from a classic Crianza through Reserva and Gran Reserva to the prestige wine Culmen. The backbone of almost all the reds is Tempranillo.
History
LAN's story begins in 1972: a group of businessmen from Bilbao originally wanted to set up a txoko, one of those traditional Basque gastronomic societies where members cook, eat and drink together. The idea turned into a winery in Fuenmayor, in the heart of Rioja Alta. The founders chose the name as a statement of loyalty to the whole region – the initials of Logroño, Álava and Navarra stand for the three provinces the appellation spans.
Over the following decades LAN grew into one of Rioja's major brands. In 2002 the Spanish investment firm Mercapital took over the house, and in the same year winemaker María Barúa joined the bodega; she later became technical director and still shapes its style today. Finally, in 2012, the Portuguese wine group Sogrape – known for Mateus Rosé and port – bought the winery. For the Guedes family it was their first step into Spain. With an annual output most recently put at around 400,000 cases, LAN is one of the region's large producers.
Location & Terroir
Fuenmayor lies on the Ebro a few kilometres west of Logroño, in the transition zone between Atlantic and Mediterranean influences. The climate is moderate, with warm summer days and cool nights that keep freshness and acidity in the grapes.
The flagship is Viña Lanciano: a single block of around 72 hectares nestled in a meander of the Ebro on the border between Rioja Alta and Rioja Alavesa. The river itself formed the poor soils over thousands of years – alluvial pebbles, gravel and sand that drain well and force the roots deep. The vineyard is divided into around 22 plots that are farmed and vinified separately. The oldest is Pago El Rincón, with vines between 40 and 60 years old. For broader wines such as the Crianza, Reserva and Gran Reserva, LAN also buys in grapes from different parts of Rioja.
Style & Philosophy
LAN combines the classic Rioja idea – ageing in oak and bottle, long cellaring potential – with a more modern, fruit-forward approach. In the vineyard the team says it avoids chemical herbicides, pesticides and synthetic fertilisers; part of the estate is already certified organic, and that area is set to grow.
A particular hallmark is the barrel cellar. Rather than committing to one type of wood, LAN works with barrels of French, American, Russian and Spanish oak, as well as hybrid barrels with American oak staves and French oak heads. This allows spice, vanilla and toast to be dosed precisely. A sophisticated stacking and climate-control system in the barrel hall also allows exact control of maturation. The result is reds with ripe cherry fruit, fine spice and well-integrated oak.
Notable Sites & Wines
The range is clearly structured by origin and ageing category:
- LAN Crianza, Reserva and Gran Reserva – the classic Rioja lines from several vineyards; the Gran Reserva spends just over two years in French and American oak, followed by around three years in bottle
- Viña Lanciano Reserva – the single-vineyard wine from the estate, aged roughly 18 to 22 months in barrel depending on the vintage
- LAN Edición Limitada – a modern, dense red aged in French and Russian oak
- LAN Xtreme – an organically grown wine from a certified plot of Viña Lanciano
- Culmen Reserva – the flagship from Tempranillo and a little Graciano, made from the old vines of Pago El Rincón and bottled only in exceptional vintages
Awards
LAN regularly earns good reviews from the international wine press – above all the Culmen, which has scored around 93 to 94 points from Decanter and the Guía Peñín in various vintages and has been honoured at the Decanter World Wine Awards. The Viña Lanciano Reserva and the house's Gran Reservas are also considered reliable recommendations for classic Rioja offering good value. LAN thus shows that large volumes and an ambitious top tier can coexist under one roof.
