As we trekked through La Rioja and the expanse of grapes became apparent, we noticed some stone structures akin to massive stone beehives or igloos.
The “guardaviñas” are circular stone constructions and are also known as “chozos (huts)”.
They were built with mostly flat stones and little mortar, stacking circularly more and more concentric as it rose in height to create a false dome.
These structures don’t have a purpose any longer (other than historical and cultural) but they have played a crucial role in rural vineyards for centuries.
Sometimes used to store farm tools, sometimes for refuge from the elements and even as a place to monitor the health of the vines (specifically as phylloxera swept Europe in the late nineteenth century).