Ribera del Duero, Rioja & San Sebastián

Description

Inclusions

• Departure from Madrid with pick-up at accommodation
• 2 nights accommodation with breakfast
• Bilingual winemaker guide (Spanish/English)
• 9 complete visits to wineries (3 per day)
• Lunches during the 3 days
• Entrance fees to monuments and experiences specified in the itinerary
• Private transportation in Mercedes Van
• Water on demand throughout the trip
• Appetizers to accompany the tastings
• Drive back to Madrid with return to accommodation

     

       Not included

• Dinners
• Other services not specified

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Note: this itinerary is only an example and could be subject to change according to the availability of the wineries, the client's preferences and the season of the year.

 

Introduction

This tour of Ribera del Duero, Rioja and San Sebastian offers a deep immersion into the regional cuisine, wine and culture of this beautiful corner of northeastern Spain. An experience for the most demanding travelers that will delight any foodie or wine lover.

Itinerary

Day 1: Ribera del Duero

Departure from Madrid to the Ribera del Duero wine region for a day of wine tasting at three of the region's leading wineries. Discover the versatility of the Tempranillo grape variety and a region that, in just a few years, has become the Spanish vanguard of international wine.

The first stop will be at a winery where the family has been making wine for centuries and are considered the fathers of modern Ribera del Duero wines. This family continues to age their wines in a subway cellar excavated in the 16th century.

You will then visit a modern winery that blends avant-garde architecture with functionality and integration into the landscape.

The third winery is dedicated to micro-elaborations of organic and biodynamic wines in a winery built with natural materials. They produce very high quality wine that is difficult to find in the international market. Lunch will take place at the winery with the owner as host.

After lunch, visit some of the most significant castles that the reconquest troops left in this border area between the Arab and Christian kingdoms throughout the Middle Ages before arriving at your hotel located right in the middle of the wine region.

Day 2: La Rioja

Today you will explore La Rioja, Spain's oldest and best known DO (Denominación de Origen).

The first stop of the day will be at a family winery in El Ciego, the heart of Rioja Alavesa. It is documented that this family has been making wine in Rioja without interruption since the 16th century. Their wines of excellent quality represent the refinement and elegance that Riojas achieves in this area.

Then enjoy a wine bar experience within Haro's historic Station district, a place with the highest concentration of century-old wineries in the world (Muga, Viña Tondonia, Rioja Alta, Gómez Cruzado, Roda, Bodegas Bilbainas to name a few).

Lunch will be in an authentic sanctuary of Rioja wine, the restaurant of the Dinastía Vivanco winery. Enjoy a typical Riojan menu paired with the wines of this famous winery.

In the afternoon visit to a boutique winery that focuses on the production of signature wines with grapes from old vineyards, and experimental elaborations, such as fermentations in clay and aging in amphorae under the sea. It is an excellent example of the versatility offered by the oenological diversity of Rioja.

Finally, head to the castle of San Vicente de la Sonsierra to contemplate the immensity of the Riojan landscape at sunset.

The dream will take place in one of the best hotels in the region. If you wish, there is the option of tapas and pintxos in the walled town of Laguardia.

Day 3: Rioja and San Sebastián

After breakfast, a last stop will be made in Rioja at one of the most famous and avant-garde wineries in La Rioja, before heading to the coast and San Sebastian.

Sixteen Michelin stars, a gastronomic university, the possibility of tasting haute cuisine in mini-portions (pintxos), two designations of origin (Idiazabal cheese and Getaria txakoli) and a wide range of top quality natural products are the reasons why San Sebastian is a paradisiacal destination for food lovers.

Visit the picturesque village of Hondarribia and enjoy an authentic Basque meal in an old mill that has been restored as a traditional restaurant. Next, visit one of the most awarded and famous wineries of txakoli, the white wine that is traditional on the Basque coast.

Upon arrival in San Sebastian, enjoy a stroll through its spectacular urban environment at the foot of the coast before returning to Madrid.