i. Biography
Clara Canals is chief winemaker at Bodegas Ysios in Laguardia, Spain, a role she has held since 2020. Her stated aim is “To produce honest wines that reflect their origins, focusing on the distinctive character of each plot.”
The Path
Training at University of Navarra and Montpellier gave Clara Canals a framework that spans rigor and breadth, with education rooted in two places and one trade. That cross-border grounding now sits behind her work at Bodegas Ysios, where the emphasis is on reading site closely rather than forcing a single house style across the estate. Since 2020, she has brought that approach to one of Rioja’s closely watched properties, where the work depends on detail, restraint, and the ability to let each plot keep its own voice.
The Work Today
Since 2020, the chief winemaking role at the Laguardia estate has carried both continuity and interpretation, with Clara Canals working inside a Rioja legacy while applying modern discipline to it. The position asks for precision in the cellar and a clear sense of what should remain unchanged, and what should be clarified. Of the role, she has said, “It is a great pleasure to be part of Bodegas Ysios family, an example of excellence and respect for our region’s winemaking legacy with a forward-thinking vision.” The statement frames the work in practical terms: respect for the region, attention to inheritance, and enough forward motion to keep the wines current.
Signature
Ysios Grano a Grano 2020 and Ysios Blanco 2020 are named among Clara Canals’ signature wines. Taken together, they show a winemaker working across different expressions while keeping the same discipline at the core: clarity, precision, and room for vineyard character and vintage condition to come through without excess handling.
In Their Words “It is a great pleasure to be part of Bodegas Ysios family, an example of excellence and respect for our region’s winemaking legacy with a forward-thinking vision.” “To produce honest wines that reflect their origins, focusing on the distinctive character of each plot.” Read together, the two lines define the work plainly. One names the frame: legacy, region, and a forward-looking estate. The other names the method: honesty, origin, and plot-level distinction. For Clara Canals, precision is not decoration; it is the condition that allows place to remain legible.
Acclaim
A Master medal at The Rioja Masters (2022) marks the public recognition attached to Clara Canals’ work. The award aligns with what her role already demands: close observation, technical control, and a refusal to flatten differences between plots.
Profile updated July 2026
FAQ
Asked of Clara
What is Clara Canals's current role?
Clara Canals is Chief Winemaker.
Where did Clara Canals train or study?
Clara Canals trained at University of Navarra and Montpellier.
What recognition has Clara Canals received?
Master medal at The Rioja Masters (2022).
