The Rioja Wine region, is located in the Ebro Valley and its tributaries (Tiron, Oja, Najerilla, Iregua, Leza, Jubera, Cidacos), limiting the north by the Sierra de Cantabria and south by the Sierra de la Demand. Pluriprovincial is a wine region, as its current 57,000 hectares of vineyards are divided between the State government of La Rioja (80%), Navarra (5%) and Euskadi (15%).

Its diverse climate and soil make this wine region is divided into three sub-zones: Rioja Alta, Rioja Baja and Rioja Alavesa, but will not involve a differentiation as to the quality of wines. Climatically is divided into two areas separated by the river Iregua, a westward from Logroño, long winters, cool summers and mild autumns, it's rainy Atlantic influences, and the other, downstream from the Ebro, sunny winters and summers hottest is drier, with a Mediterranean influence. La Rioja Alavesa Atlantic features the difference of their greater exposure to the sun.

The vines are grown in three soil types that give wines distinct characters: clay-limestone soils produce wines with great extract, glycerin, and high pH, accounting for 25% of the total cultivated area and dominate in the Rioja Alava. Ferrous clay soil gives wines of quality, but with pH lower than before, also represent 25% of the cultivated area, located throughout the appellation of origin. Alluvial soils are closest to the river channels, producing wines with more alcohol and a pH not very high, accounting for 50% of the area under cultivation also spread throughout the appellation of origin.