Bodega
What does bodega mean in wine?
In wine, a bodega is a winery or wine cellar—the place where grapes are made into wine, aged, bottled, and stored.
This is the standard Spanish term for winery. If someone says they visited a bodega in Spain or Argentina, they usually mean they visited a wine estate or production cellar.
Bodega in English vs. Spanish
In much of the U.S. English, “bodega” can mean a small corner store. But in Spanish-speaking wine regions, bodegas are the wine-producing facilities themselves—anything from a tiny family cellar to a major production site.
What a bodega includes
Depending on size, a bodega may include:
- Fermentation space (tanks or traditional vessels)
- Barrel rooms or other aging areas
- Bottling and storage facilities
- A tasting room (many Argentine bodegas are also tourism destinations)
Bodega vs winery vs cantina
| Term | Language | Typical wine meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Bodega | Spanish | Winery / wine cellar (common in Argentina) |
| Winery | English | Winery / producer |
| Cantina | Italian (also used in Spanish) | Winery / cellar; in Spanish it can also mean a bar/cafeteria |
Related terms: Cantina, Wine cellar. For the label-level differences among bodega, cantina, domaine, château, tenuta, and quinta, use the wine estate terms guide.