Why it matters
The producer
Bodegas Covila is a grower-owned cooperative in Lapuebla de Labarca, a village at the geographical heart of Rioja Alavesa, sitting on the north bank of the Ebro River. The bodega was formed in 1989 when a group of local vine growers chose to pool their family parcels into a shared enterprise rather than continue selling fruit to neighbouring bodegas. That decision is still the organizing principle of the business: the people who farm the 250 hectares also own the cooperative.
The scale is real. At roughly 1.5 million bottles a year, Covila is a mid-volume producer by Rioja standards, yet it describes its philosophy as "wine made from our own hands and our own grapes." That is not marketing shorthand.
Place and vineyards
Where the wines begin
Rioja Alavesa is the smallest and most northerly of the three Rioja subzones, sheltered from Atlantic rain by the Cantabrian mountains to the north and warmed by Mediterranean air pushing up the Ebro valley from the east. Lapuebla de Labarca sits on the river's north bank, where the valley floor meets the limestone and clay slopes that typify the subzone.
The subzone's geography pulls Tempranillo toward freshness rather than weight. Cooler nights, higher altitude parcels, and clay-rich soils slow ripening and preserve acidity, which is why Rioja Alavesa Crianza tends to carry more lift and earlier approachability than Rioja Alta or Rioja Oriental equivalents aged for the same period.
In the cellar
Vineyards and cellar
The 250 hectares are farmed by the member growers who own them, with yields and practices aligned to the cooperative's quality standards. Tempranillo dominates the red holdings, as it does across Rioja Alavesa, and is the sole grape in the Crianza. The Crianza spends 12 months in a combination of American and French oak barrels before bottling, which is the minimum for Crianza classification in Rioja. American oak contributes a vanilla and coconut note; French oak adds a tighter, spicier layer. Twelve months at this level of combined wood keeps the oak present but not dominant, allowing the Tempranillo fruit to read clearly.
The white parcels contribute Viura as the base, with smaller plantings of Sauvignon Blanc and Malvasia providing aromatic complexity. The Blanco is bottled without oak ageing, preserving the fresh, fruity character of the Viura and the tropical lift from the Sauvignon Blanc contribution.
Wines to know
The range in view
The Covila range runs across two named tiers with distinct characters.
Covila Crianza is 100% Tempranillo, aged 12 months in American and French oak. It carries deep colour, supple tannins that round quickly in bottle, and the balanced acidity that marks Rioja Alavesa fruit. The oak adds vanilla and spice while the red fruit remains prominent. It drinks well from release and holds comfortably for three to five years.
A useful way in
A bottle to begin with
Start with the Covila Crianza. It is 100% Tempranillo from Rioja Alavesa parcels, aged 12 months in American and French oak, and it carries everything the cooperative does in a single affordable bottle: estate fruit, a clear varietal character, and oak used as a seasoning rather than a principal flavour. The tannins are supple, the acidity is firm without being sharp, and the red fruit is upfront from the first glass. It does not ask for decanting or long cellaring. Open it with lamb, roast pork, or a plate of aged Manchego and it earns its place at the table immediately.