Rioja Oriental (formerly, Rioja Baja) is one of three subzones – the easternmost – of the Rioja wine region of Spain. … It lies east of the major city of Logroño, with the Ebro River flowing through it. Similar in size to its Rioja Alta counterpart, this area faces hotter summers and more severe winters, thanks to less maritime influence from the Atlantic Ocean. In the northern part of the subzone, near the banks of the river, altitudes are reasonably low, and this area is indeed the warmest,