{"id":223643,"date":"2025-06-29T09:31:12","date_gmt":"2025-06-29T09:31:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/223643\/"},"modified":"2025-06-29T09:31:12","modified_gmt":"2025-06-29T09:31:12","slug":"batalla-del-vino-the-spanish-town-where-locals-soak-each-other-with-wine","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/223643\/","title":{"rendered":"Batalla del Vino: The Spanish town where locals soak each other with wine"},"content":{"rendered":"

CNN
\n \u00a0\u2014\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n A glass of Burgundy sipped during dinner. A chilled Chardonnay while the sun goes down. A sparkling Champagne at a wedding. Typically, a glass of wine is something savored.\n <\/p>\n

\n Except in one quiet town in Northern Spain, where it\u2019s used for ammunition.\n <\/p>\n

\n Every June 29, hundreds of locals gather in Haro for a festival to celebrate the wine for which the surrounding La Rioja region is famous, culminating in La Batalla del Vino \u2014 the Battle of Wine.\n <\/p>\n

\n What once began as a religious procession to the nearby Hermitage of San Felices, a historic hilltop place of worship, has now evolved into an annual vibrant cultural celebration where thousands of participants drench each other with red wine using water guns, buckets and bottles.\n <\/p>\n

\n The chaotic and frenetic event can draw crowds of tourists eager to soak up the atmosphere. But, despite the huge quantities of wine launched through the air, local officials are now worried about visitors turning up to soak up too much booze.\n <\/p>\n

\n \u201cWe must not transform this into just another drinking event,\u201d Jos\u00e9 Luis P\u00e9rez Pastor, La Rioja\u2019s minister of culture, tourism, sports and youth, told CNN.\n <\/p>\n

\n Events start at 7:30 a.m., when Haro\u2019s mayor and members of the San Felices Brotherhood gather and lead pilgrims to the Bilibio Cliffs, on which is perched the Hermitage.\n <\/p>\n

\n After a Mass is held at the Hermitage, a rocket marks the start of the wine battle.\n <\/p>\n

\n Participants dressed completely in white with red handkerchiefs then proceed to soak one another until their clothes turn deep purple.\n <\/p>\n

\"Locals<\/p>\n

\n Though often portrayed as a light-hearted spectacle, the festival is rooted in deep tradition, religious history and local folklore.\n <\/p>\n

\n It is said to have begun in the sixth century, when pilgrimages in honor of Haro\u2019s patron saint, San Felice, were made to the caves where he was buried. Over time, these turned into lively celebrations featuring \u201cwine baptisms,\u201d which eventually became the wine fights known today.\n <\/p>\n

\n Another origin tale involves a 12th-century land dispute between Haro and the neighbouring town of Miranda De Ebro, which saw locals from both towns complete a boundary walk to ensure property lines between them were properly maintained. This was said to have lasted over 400 years until it was disregarded and both sides started throwing wine at each other.\n <\/p>\n

\n Rules of the event are outlined on the Batalla del Vino website. The goal of the festival is to stain your neighbor with wine, leaving them darker than the Pend\u00f3n de Haro, a banner associated with the town of Haro.\n <\/p>\n

\n Gigantic wine tankers, each containing up to 15,000 liters (3,300 gallons) of wine, are provided by the town hall for attendees to fill their approved weapons.\n <\/p>\n

\n In total, up to 50,000 liters (11,000 gallons) can be thrown each year.\n <\/p>\n

\n While this might seem like a criminal waste of good wine, the vino used in the battle isn\u2019t suitable for bottling, as it is not of high commercial value. Much of it is leftover or low-quality product.\n <\/p>\n

\n Afterward, the wine that flows down the mountainside is absorbed back into the soil or washed away by the rain, officials said.\n <\/p>\n

\n At midday, after the battle has been raging for several hours, everyone heads back to Plaza de la Paz, in the center of Haro, where locals parade through the streets accompanied by brass bands before \u2014 because this is Spain \u2014 they head to an arena for bullfighting and other events.\n <\/p>\n

\n Participants also typically eat a traditional popular local dish of caracoles, or snails, cooked in a tomato and pepper stew at some point during the day.\n <\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

\n In recent years, the event has gained visibility and now attracts visitors from across the world, thanks to viral social media posts and growing tourism.\n <\/p>\n

\n Jessica and Eric Smith, American expats living in La Rioja who document rural Spanish life to more than 100,000 followers on Instagram<\/a>, say they came across the event while working with a rural housing association.\n <\/p>\n

\n \u201cThe wine battle itself is only three hours,\u201d Eric says. \u201cIt\u2019s just a fun experience. You show up and there\u2019s thousands of other people.\u201d\n <\/p>\n

\n To reach the hilltop where the festivities take place, participants are transported part of the way by buses, with seats covered in plastic, a precaution taken to prevent damage from the wine on the return journey.\n <\/p>\n

\n \u201cThe best part is you hop on this bus and you\u2019re heading towards the wine battle, but then they stop and let you off in the vineyards. You then have to walk up the hill for about 10 to 15 minutes to get to the wine battle,\u201d said Eric.\n <\/p>\n

\n That\u2019s when things get wild.\n <\/p>\n

\n \u201cAs you enter, these older Spanish men, who\u2019ve clearly been doing the wine battle for years, are standing there with backpack sprayers full of wine,\u201d Jessica said. \u201cYou walk in and you\u2019re just being sprayed. And then a random kid comes out of nowhere and dumps a bucket of wine over your head.\u201d\n <\/p>\n

\n \u201cAt any point in time, people can dump wine on you,\u201d Eric added. \u201cThe atmosphere of the wine battle is just so much fun\u2026 you don\u2019t necessarily know what to expect.\u201d\n <\/p>\n

\n Jess said the atmosphere gave her an instant sense of belonging.\n <\/p>\n

\n \u201cI felt like I was adopted for the day,\u201d she added. \u201cIt\u2019s literally just every piece that we love about Spanish culture, and I feel like you get a glimpse into it when you go to this event.\u201d\n <\/p>\n

\n \u201cWe first went to Haro for La Batalla in 2007 and have been going back every year since,\u201d says Toby Paramor, managing director of Stoke Travel, a UK tour company that organizes trips to the festival. \u201cIt was the most surreal, joyful, authentic little discovery.\u201d\n <\/p>\n

\n While Paramor says his company\u2019s beer and wine-inclusive package trips are also aimed at giving travelers a deeper experience of La Rioja, festival organizers are worried about its popularity and the preservation of its cultural roots.\n <\/p>\n

\n Jos\u00e9 Luis P\u00e9rez Pastor, the local culture and tourism minister, says the festival began \u201cwith faith and friendship\u201d and he is adamant it must not turn into just another party.\n <\/p>\n

\n \u201cThis is the only way to have a truly transforming experience \u2014 with respect and authenticity,\u201d he said.\n <\/p>\n

\n \u201cIt\u2019s not just about drinking. Attending the Mass is an important cultural moment, even if not in a religious sense. It reflects centuries of tradition.\u201d\n <\/p>\n