Where to stay in Rioja Wine Region?

Take a look at Briones as place to stay. It is a love little town, and just down the hill from there is the Dinastia Vivanco. Definitely worth the visit.

Just across the river is San Vicente and there are several wineries in the town to visit, and just past it is Abalos with some wineries.

You say early June, just a heads up, the 9th is the Day of La Rioja. In Logroño the 11th is San Bernabe, the patron of the city. Logroño will be in fiestas probably from the 7th to the 11th. Unlike San Mateos, a wine harvest festival, this is calmer. They dress the city up in medieval trappings, and they have the garrison walking around protecting the city from the French.

You might like to have a look at this:
http://www.riojarailwaywineexperience.com/

Can't recommend any hotels in a line between Bilbao and San Sebastian.
We stayed in Logrono, which is s stop on the Camino - we stayed in the NH Hotel and watched pilgrims passing by.

If you can, pass through Guernika, scene of a civil war atrocity with a memorial museum.
Couple of nice lunch stops opposite the museum.
Guernika has great significance to Basque people, indeed all of Spain, and is the inspiration for Picasso's paining (in Reina Sofia, Madrid).

As you may know, Rioja wine region has three areas: Rioja Alta, where I would recommend either Haro or Briones to stay; Rioja Alavesa, the best place to stay is Laguardia or maybe Labastida; and then Rioja Oriental, much off the beaten path, I love Viana in this area, but there are less wineries. There are over 18 different Caminos, one of them (the Northern Camino) passes through Bilbao and Donostia-San Sebastian. If you want to walk the French Way (the best known), Santo Domingo de la Calzada would be the place to stay.

I’ve stayed at the Parador on the main plaza in Santo Domingo de la Calzada a couple times. The French Camino goes right past it. A nearby town worth a short visit is Ezcaray, while the Santa Maria de San Salvador Monastery is also close by. Briones and Haro are between 20-25 minutes drives away and Laguardia is about 35 minutes away. In Santo Domingo de la Calzada, the cathedral is worth visiting, if for no other reason than to see the live chickens and read the legend surrounding them. If you want to stay in a location with very few tourists, Santo Domingo de la Calzada is a good place to stay.

What it doesn’t have are many wineries. There are a few within 5-6 miles of the town.

OP CT, maybe check out the town Laguardia. I recco'd that town to my friend (and former vintner) from Paso Robles who'll be touring Rioja next month.
*Mikel with an 'l'--I'm zebec from Fodors.
cheerz
I am done. the end

gregglamarsh...:)

Laguardia is not necessarily walkable to many wineries but is convenient by car. It is a lovely place to stay. We have been twice, would happily return, and highly recommend.