Tempranillo & Terroir: A Signature Wine Journey Through Spain

Penedes Cava Wine Discovery

This morning, your private guide will meet you at your hotel for a full day of wine tastings and exploration in the Penedès region, where you will delve into the cellars of Catalonia and sample a selection of outstanding wines.

Your journey begins with a visit to an estate such as Parés Baltà, a family-owned vineyard with a winemaking heritage dating back to 1790. Just 30 km from the Mediterranean coast and Barcelona, Parés Baltà specializes in organic wines and Cava (Spanish sparkling wine), crafted to reflect the essence of the land.

During your private visit, you will walk among the vineyards, gaining insight into biodynamic farming and how the winery blends ancestral traditions with modern techniques in the barrel room and Cava cellar. The experience culminates in a guided tasting of their organic and biodynamic wines and Cavas, complemented by local delicacies such as fuet, Manchego cheese, almonds, and the family’s extra virgin olive oil from Priorat.

For lunch, savor a traditional Catalan meal in a picturesque setting, immersing yourself in the region’s rich culinary culture.

In the afternoon, continue to Gramona, a prestigious Cava producer nestled in the heart of Penedès. Here, the Mediterranean landscape meets the stunning backdrop of Montserrat, providing the perfect environment for crafting exceptional Cava. Upon arrival, a Gramona expert will guide you through the winery, detailing the intricate production process before leading you into the underground caves, where the history of Cava comes to life. The visit concludes with a guided tasting of some of Gramona’s finest sparkling wines.

At the end of the day, your guide will return you to your accommodations in Barcelona.

Penedès

The Penedès region is renowned for producing a diverse array of high-quality wines, including sparkling wines, white wines, and red wines. It is especially famous for Cava, a world-renowned sparkling wine made using the traditional method. Visitors to Penedès can enjoy wine tastings, vineyard tours, and food pairings, immersing themselves in this unique wine region's rich history and culture.

Priorat Wine Exploration

This morning, after enjoying breakfast at your hotel, your private guide will meet you for a full-day exploration of the stunning Priorat wine region, located about two hours from Barcelona. Known for its dramatic landscapes, steep terraced vineyards, and craggy vines clinging to the hillsides, Priorat is one of Spain’s most prestigious wine regions.

Your journey begins in the small town of Porrera, where you’ll visit the family-run Clos Dominic winery. Here, you’ll meet Paco Castillo-Serrano, who, along with his wife, Dominic, fulfilled a lifelong dream by purchasing this old-vine vineyard in 1998. Many of the vines are over 100 years old, and the family continues to manage the land by hand, with the help of friends. Stroll through the vineyards, learn about their traditional methods, and enjoy a tasting of their exceptional wines.

Next, travel to the nearby village of Gratallops, where you'll take a historical stroll with your guide, soaking in the beautiful scenery. While here, you may wish to enjoy a fantastic, traditional lunch at a winery or one of the charming trattorias in town (to be paid directly)

After lunch, visit a renowned producer such as Mas Martinet, one of the pioneers of Priorat’s modern winemaking renaissance. Widely considered one of the finest wineries in the region, Mas Martinet offers breathtaking vineyard views and a tasting of its highly acclaimed wines.

As the day comes to an end, relax on the journey back to Barcelona, where you’ll have the evening at your leisure.

After checking out this morning, your private driver will meet you at your hotel and transfer you to the train station for your train journey to Zaragoza.

Rail Journey - Barcelona to Zaragoza (~90 minutes)
Comfort Class Tickets

Zaragoza to Rioja

On arrival in Zaragoza, meet your private driver-guide and set out to explore this vibrant city. Zaragoza is best known for its stunning Basilica of El Pilar, but it also boasts a rich blend of history and culture, from the Moorish Aljafería Palace and Roman ruins to avant-garde bridges and a museum dedicated to the renowned Spanish artist Francisco de Goya. Be sure to explore the lively El Tubo district, famous for its tapas bars. There will also be time for lunch during your visit (to be paid directly).

Afterward, continue on towards to La Rioja — about 2.5 hours— where you'll be able to check-in and settle into your new surroundings.

La Rioja

Located in northern Spain, along the Ebro River, La Rioja is one of the most prestigious and well-known of all the Spanish wine regions. It is divided into three sub-regions: Rioja Alta, Rioja Alavesa and Rioja Baja with the most famous bodegas located in Alta and Alavesa. Rioja is known for its red wines made primarily from the Tempranillo grape, which is often blended with Garnacha, Mazuelo, and Graciano grapes.

Rioja appeals, not just for producing some of the finest wines in Spain, but also for the contrast between traditional and modern wineries that can be found here. You can visit an historic bodega built on a farm that was part of a medieval monastery and still makes its wine in the most traditional way, then continue on to another that employs state of the art wine technology in a building that is a work of modern art in itself.

A Day of Tradition: Exploring Rioja's Finest

Today, meet your local guide at your hotel and together depart for a day exploring La Rioja.

This morning you will be welcomed for a visit and tasting at a local producer such as Muga, one of the classical wineries of Rioja. The Muga family has been making their wines since 1932. They are located in the old station district on the outskirts of Haro - the historical site of the most prestigious bodegas in La Rioja. They follow traditional methods, using oak through and through, carrying out the entire process, including the aging and fermentation stages in oak. The excellence and high quality of their wines are rewarded by recognition and prestige in the most demanding markets both nationally and internationally.

Continue to an estate such as Amaren, meaning "of the mother" in Basque. The first wine under this label appeared in 1995 as a tribute to Ángeles, mother of winemaker Juan Luis Cañas. This was the beginning of what in 2016 became a whole winery, Bodegas Amaren. The estate is comprised of some of Rioja Alavesa’s best and highest altitude vineyards, where the soil is poor and produces small bunches, perfect for making highly concentrated Rioja wines. The vineyard-zone stretches over an area of 65 hectares, where ancient vine plants of 35 to 110 years old are cultivated.

A traditional Riojan lunch, either at a winery or in a local restaurant, will give you more opportunities to taste the wonderful Riojan wines. Typical Riojan dishes include potatoes or bean soup with chorizo (paprika sausage), roasted lamb chops where sarmientos (dry grape vine branches) are used to roast the meat giving it a unique and delicious flavor, meat stew cooked with wine, cod with peppers and tomatoes and many more.

This afternoon, visit a third producer or alternatively visit the medieval village of Laguardia, encircled by 13th-century walls. Under the stone paved streets and homes of Laguardia, it is full of old subterranean bodegas, and over them there are many historic monuments and sites, like the Gothic facade of Santa Maria de los Reyes church from the 14th century.

Your guide will return you to the hotel after your final visit.

Rioja to Ribera del Duero

This morning, after breakfast, check out the hotel and depart with your guide towards Ribera del Duero.

En route, enjoy a final tasting of Rioja wines with a visit to a producer such as Valenciso Winery, a small family winery making only reserve wines. After fifteen years of shared work in a prestigious and centenarian cellar of Rioja with a strong international presence. Tempranillo grapes from old vineyards with low yields, new barriques - predominantly French oak - having one-third renewed annually, cork "flor" quality - the highest level - and a long savoir faire marked by fondness and dedication only applicable to small cuvées.

Alternatively, you may visit the Culture of Wine Museum, Dinastía Vivanco in Briones, a unique and historic location in the Rioja Alta. Situated in the heart of the vineyards adjacent to their Bodega, this is one of the largest wine museums in the world and has amazing views of the town of Briones

After your visit, you will be welcomed to a bodega or a traditional restaurant in the area for a tapas lunch to be served with wine.

Continuing on, stop to explore Burgos, the provincial capital of Castile and León. The city is famous for its intact medieval architecture with the most recognizable landmark being the Gothic Cathedral of St. Mary, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Work began on the Cathedral in 1221 and continued until 1795. Boasting no fewer than 38 altarpieces, countless chapels, ornate religious imagery, and of course, being the final resting place of the legendary El Cïd, the cathedral is outstanding for the elegance and harmony of its architecture.

Afterwards, you will be transferred to your hotel in Ribera for check-in and to settle into your new surroundings.

Ribera del Duero

Ribera del Duero is one of Spain’s world renown wine regions and is situated along the banks of the Duero River on the country’s northern plateau. Wine has been produced in the region for thousands of years, but, viticulture as we know it today, was brought to the region by French Benedictine monks from Cluny, in Burgundy, during the XII century.

The Ribera del Duero region stretches across four provinces: Burgos, Segovia, Soria, and Valladolid. Its climate is characterized by long, hot summers and cold winters, with significant temperature fluctuations between day and night, which are ideal for growing grapes. Ribera del Duero today produces high-quality red wines made primarily from the Tempranillo grapes, locally known as Tinto Fino or Tinta del País.

Ribera del Duero Discovery

After enjoying breakfast this morning, meet your guide at your accommodation and set out together to explore the Ribera del Duero region.

Throughout the day, you will be welcomed to two bodegas to discover the wines of Ribera. Some of our favorite producers we will consider for today's tastings include, amongst others:
• Bodegas Territorio Luthier - A family run estate founded in 2007. Today they are elaborating some of the most interesting wines with the variety 100% Tempranillo with some plots of vines older than 60 years. They produce very particular wines as Hispania, which ages just in Spanish oak, Crianza or Lara O Pro, consider one of the best wines of Spain elaborated with Tempranillo. Its owners Cristina and Fernando will be delighted to accompany you on a visit throughout the winery to bring you the magic of their most special wines.
• Tinto Pesquera - A pioneer in Tempranillo winemaking methods. In 1972, Alejandro Fernández and his wife Esperanza licensed their bodega in Pesquera and was the beginning of establishing Ribera del Duero as one of Spain’s top wine regions.
• Valsotillo Winery - This is a traditional family winery with subterranean cellars from the XVII century. Founder Ismael Arroyo is a well known figure in the region for his striking Tempranillo. This small winery is one of the most attractive in the region because it holds an impressive 17th century year old gallery dug in the mountain, which is currently used as excellent aging cellar. Often the owners will be there to welcome you and show you the winery or accompany you during the wine tasting.

Enjoy a traditional lunch with roast lamb paired with wines in a restaurant or set in a winery.

This afternoon visit one of the medieval villages in Ribera del Duero, such as Peñafiel, its castle and the Plaza Del Coso. Peñafiel Castle was built in the 15th century by don Pedro Girón, master of the Calatrava Order. It is made of Campaspero stone in the German Gothic style however it is unusual among the castles in the Valladolid area, due to the architect's need to adapt the structure to the land.

After your lovely day of tasting Ribera wines, return to your hotel and enjoy the evening at leisure.

Ribera del Duero to Madrid

After checking out this morning, meet your guide and set off on a scenic journey to Madrid, with a stop in the historic city of Segovia along the way.

A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Segovia is home to some of Spain’s most remarkable landmarks. Marvel at the two-thousand-year-old Roman aqueduct—one of the best-preserved in the world—the impressive Alcázar castle, the grand cathedral, and the charming old quarters.

Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985, the aqueduct of Segovia is an extraordinary feat of engineering. Built between the late 1st and early 2nd centuries CE, likely under the reigns of Emperors Vespasian and Trajan, it was designed to transport water from the River Acebeda to the city. Remarkably, the structure remains intact without the use of mortar or cement, its 20,400 stone blocks held together by an impeccable balance of forces. The most striking section, located at Plaza del Azoguejo, reaches an impressive height of 28.1 meters and consists of 167 graceful arches.

After exploring Segovia’s historic treasures, enjoy lunch at one of the city’s renowned asadores, where you can indulge in the region’s famous suckling pig, a local delicacy prepared to perfection.

Following lunch, continue to Madrid, where you will be delivered to your accommodations for check-in and time to settle in.

Madrid

Between the glory of the Royal Palace and masterpieces at the Prado and Reina Sofia museums, Madrid is home to plenty of stunning attractions, but the true magic lies in the people and the colorful lives they create for themselves among the hustle and bustle. The capital city of Spain is a vibrant and cosmopolitan destination, home to some of the world's most famous art museums, world class architecture, passionate sport fans and and an undeniable culinary scene. Lose yourself in a long lunch with new Madrileño friends on a terrace, or chat with vendors as you pick up fresh produce at the open market before you prepare a meal with a local chef. To know Madrid and its surroundings, all you need is a curious mind, adventurous spirit, good walking shoes, and great friends to show you the way.

Introduction to Madrid

Meet your local guide today, an expert of the city, to explore the central medieval district of Madrid and gain an understanding of the city's history and key monuments. Your expert guide will trace the trajectory of the Spanish monarchy through to French occupation, Civil War, and dictatorship in the 20th century, starting with the city’s Moorish roots. Much of the walking tour will focus on the medieval core of the city near Plaza Mayor, which has remained remarkably unchanged since the period of the Habsburg dynastic rule.

As you wander through the streets, you also discuss topics ranging from the regional cuisine, local craftsmanship, and the cultural life of Madrilenos. Duck into the market to learn about Jamon Iberico and the timing of meals, or pop into one of the most traditional and popular chocolate cafes in the city. Continuing on, stop in Puerta del Sol where the uprising against the French in 1808 took place and where the terror attacks of 2004 are commemorated, allowing your guide to explain the pattern of strife and conflict that have shaped Madrid and Spanish history.

Madrid Wine and Tapas Tour

In the early evening, meet your local guide at your accommodations and set out for a private guided tapas tour of Madrid for dinner.

There are two “Madrids”: the one you can’t help but see, and the one you need a local person to show you. We’d like to invite you to enjoy the experience of “ir de tapas”, as madrileños do. You will discover hidden spots, even in the very heart of Madrid, each of which has something special to offer, be it a typical dish, a specific type of wine or its atmosphere. Get into the swing of things: go to a bar, enjoy your wine and your tapas, and once you’ve finished, move on to the next venue. It’s as simple as that!

Your local guide will take you to the best tapas bars the capital has to offer where you can enjoy delicious wine and food. From traditional to creative tapas in the best neighborhoods, your appetite for food and culture will surely be satiated.

After checking out of your accommodation, meet your private driver who will transfer you to the airport for your departing flight.
Hasta Pronto y Buen Viaje!