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Wine and food tours in Spain. Spain in Russian

If you are one of the admirers of traditional culinary arts, a connoisseur of winemaking and national cuisine, if you want to try something new besides a beach holiday or city tourism, wine and gastronomic tours to places with ancient culinary history will be a worthy alternative. An excellent choice for a culinary journey will be the provincial towns and countryside of Spain, where customs and rich traditions have been preserved and passed down from generation to generation for centuries.

A gastronomic tour is a carefully planned journey through those regions of Spain where you can enjoy the unique local recipes, learn about the specialties of the cuisine, and feel the culture of the people. Among the many varieties of gastronomic tourism in Spain (cheese or beer, urban or rural), perhaps the most developed and popular is wine tourism . This direction includes tasting and buying wine directly from wineries, where the original taste and aroma of products is preserved. It is at the winery that the wine has the highest quality due to the ideal conditions of detention.

A wine tour can last from several days to several weeks, including a varied set of activities: excursions to vineyards, tasting, visits to old wineries and cellars, national restaurants where you can personally get to know winemakers, learn culture, technology and touch centuries-old the traditions of the production of famous Spanish wines. During the trip, it is possible to visit themed wine festivals, folk festivals and local cultural attractions. Wine tourism is so developed and popular today that there are even specialized luxury wine hotels, wine spa complexes, and modern winemakers resort to the services of prestigious architects to create an exquisite image of winemaking culture.

We will introduce you to the wines of the province of Burgos (Spain) and wine tours in this part of the Spanish hinterland with a rich history and traditions of winemaking. If you are interested in other regions, we advise you to search for relevant articles in the sections “Tourism” and “Spain”.

The area called Ribera del Duero is located in the valley of the Duero River in the south of the province of Burgos, which is part of the Autonomous Community of Castile y León. Specific climatic conditions make it possible to grow crops and grapes here. The region is also famous for its huge herds of sheep, and the main culinary delights here are sheep cheese and tender lamb meat. The industrial and gastronomic center of the region is the city of Aranda de Duero, where, for example, the Leche Pascual dairy is located. The region is best known for its high quality wines, labeled Denominación de Origen Ribera del Duero.

Vineyards in this region, located in the provinces of Soria, Burgos, Segovia and Valladolid, cover an area of ​​21,000 hectares. The wines of Ribera del Duero are mostly red with a small proportion of rosé. The main grape variety is “tempranillo”, the content of which in the wines of the region is not less than 75%. Other grape varieties included in local wines include Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec, Garnacha and Albillo.

The region has a rich history of winemaking, as evidenced by the 2000-year-old Romanesque mosaic of 66 square meters. m, depicting the god of winemaking Bacchus. The mosaic is located in the city of Baños de Valdearados and is the largest and best preserved in its style in the entire Iberian Peninsula.

In 1982, the state association Denominación de Origen Ribera del Duero (abbreviated as D.O.) was established in the region, designed to control the process of creating wine at all its levels – from the technology of growing grapes to bottling. D.O. – a kind of quality mark, which means that wines with this label have undergone full control by experts, guaranteeing high quality.

Wine Vega Sicilia – Vega Sicilia

To date, the association of winemakers D. O. Ribera del Duero controls more than 200 wineries in the region, and it is here that the world-famous Vega Sicilia wine is made. The wines of this brand are considered among the best, and the family that owns the winery is a member of the Primum Familiae Vini Association (Association of the “Family of the Best Winemakers”, which includes only 12 names from around the world).

The winery was founded in 1864 by Eloy Lacanda y Chavez in a place called Valbuena de Duero in the province of Valladolid. Don Eloy planted 18,000 Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Malbec vines from Bordeaux in southwestern France in the Duero Valley. Later, in 1982, the winery was acquired by entrepreneur David Alvarez, along with 250 hectares of vineyards, 80% of which were tempranillo varieties.

Wine today Vega Sicilia is made predominantly from Tempranillo grapes, the process of growing, harvesting and processing of which is very meticulous, which results in a wine of the highest quality. Wine Vega Sicilia is produced in three varieties. “Unico” – the highest quality, contains 80% tempranillo and 20% cabernet sauvignon, aged for five years in barrels of various sizes and ages. “Valbuena 5°” – made from a mixture of tempranillo and malbec, the wine is lighter than “Unico”. The third type, “Unico Reserva Especial”, does not have a specific affiliation with the year of harvest, so every year the wine has a different taste. So, for example, the release of 2010 is a blend of wines from 53 barrels of vintages 1990, 1994 and 1996.

Prices for Vega Sicilia wines start at about 100 euros per bottle and depend on the type and year of release. In 2009, a lot of 23 bottles of Vega Sicilia wine was sold at Sotheby’s for $102,850.

Wine tours in Ribera del Duero

The Ribera del Duero region is one of the main centers of wine tourism in Spain. Every year thousands of tourists come here to learn the ancient secrets of Spanish winemaking. The company “Spain in Russian” offers two wine tours in Ribera del Duero with visits to the best wineries, restaurants and cultural attractions in the region. Two programs of wine tours, designed for 4 days and 5 days, offer a detailed acquaintance with the characteristics of the Ribera del Duero region.

Wine tour 3 nights/4 days in Ribera del Duero

Day 1

Departure from Madrid by bus to Aranda de Duero. Accommodation in a modern hotel “Alisi” in the city center. The hotel is located in close proximity to the main attractions of the city. From here you can quickly walk to all the historical sites, cultural and gastronomic centers of Aranda de Duero.

Dinner at the traditional restaurant “Arandas”, specializing in seafood and meat delicacies, where you can experience the flavors of the region’s dishes.

Day 2

Breakfast at the Alisi hotel. Departure to the city of Peñaranda de Duero, visiting the castle of Peñaranda de Duero and Avellaneda Palace, one of the main historical monuments of the province of Burgos.

Peñaranda de Duero is an imposing castle dating back to the 10th century, during the era of Fernán González, and completely renovated in the 15th century. The narrow, elongated castle consists of a high crenellated wall, above which rises a central tower. The castle is in good condition, including medieval wall paintings and a main gate with many decorations.

BBQ lunch in an authentic restaurant in Peñaranda de Duero. A menu of the best local specialties – lamb roast cooked in an open fire oven, paired with Ribera del Duero wine.

Visit to the El Lagar de Isia winery, whose cellars are located in the district center of La Vid, where the Zapatero family built facilities adapted exclusively for wine worshipers. The cellars store wine of recognized quality, which has won numerous national and international awards.

Return to Aranda de Duero, dinner at a restaurant with the best dishes and wines of Ribera del Duero.

Day 3

Breakfast at the Alisi hotel. Visit to the Museum “House of the Balls” (Museo Casa de las Bolas), the art and architectural wine museum “CIAVIN” and the underground wine cellar “Las Animas”. Lunch at the restaurant “Los Rastrojos” and rest in the Botanical Garden, where the equestrian club is located.

After lunch at the Los Rastrojos restaurant, you will visit the Real Finca de la Ventosia winery, where visitors are invited to drive an off-road vehicle through the vineyards and taste the best products of the winery, combined with traditional dishes.

Day 4

Breakfast at the Alisi hotel. Visit to the winery “Torremilanos”, acquaintance with the process of making wines and participation in a very interesting wine tasting . This winery is one of the first in the history of Ribera del Duero , it is distinguished by its own approach to the process of growing and maturing wine, preserving the ancient traditions of this region. Torremilanos is also the only winery that produces Cava (champagne) sparkling wine under the Denominación de Origen quality mark.

Lunch at the “El Lagar de Milagros” restaurant, which is located in the heart of Aranda de Duero and is one of the landmarks for tasting the dishes of Ribera del Duero, and the original cuisine here brings gastronomic surprises every day.

End of the wine route and return by bus to Madrid.

Wine tour 4 nights/5 days in Ribera del Duero

Day 1

Departure from Madrid by bus to Aranda de Duero, accommodation and dinner at the five-star Torremilanos Hotel.

The city of Aranda de Duero is located in the south of the province of Burgos and is the center of the municipality of Ribera del Duero. Not far from the city of Aranda de Duero is the villa “Torremilanos”, belonging to the winery “Penalba Lopez”, whose winemaking tradition dates back to 1903 year. In 1975, the Peñalba López family purchased the winery and since then it has increased its plantations by planting the best varieties of Tempranillo grapes. The area of ​​vineyards reaches 200 hectares. Winery has its own five-star hotel overlooking the beautiful landscapes of Ribera del Duero and vineyards.

Day 2

Breakfast at the Torremilanos hotel. Departure to Peñafiel, visiting the famous castle and Wine Museum .

Peñafiel is located at the foot of the hill where the Duero and Duraton rivers meet in the heart of the Ribera del Duero. The city has for centuries been the residence of kings and princes, in particular, Alfonso X and Fernando III. Peñafiel is the cradle of the Ribera del Duero wine region and enjoys great international prestige. Here are the most famous wineries, where the prestigious wines of Spain are born. Peñafiel has Wine Museum Churches and convents of San Pablo, Santa Maria, San Miguel and Santa Clara. The famous Plaza del Coso hosts bullfights and the San Roque Festival in August. In Peñafiel, itineraries begin along the monumental cultural and natural attractions of the Ribera del Duero, such as the Cuco Valley, the Botijas and Duraton rivers, with their amazingly beautiful gorges. Visit to the winery “Protos” and wine tasting .

“Protos” (from the Greek word for “first”) proudly and honorably takes pride of place among the best wineries in the area, maintaining its reputation for a long time. In 1929, at the World Exhibition in Barcelona, ​​”Protos” earned the first gold medal for high quality wine, and in the early 1930s, the winery entered the international level.

Lunch at the castle of Curiel de Duero. Curiel Castle is the oldest in the province of Valladolid. Its construction began during the time of the Roman Empire, which is confirmed by the discovery of a coin of the emperor Arcadius of the 4th century, and the outer walls of the castle date back to the 7th century. Since the 11th century, the castle has belonged to several Castilian kings. Later, for almost two centuries, a prison for nobles and kings operated in the castle, and Jaime IV, King of Mallorca, Count of Pembroke, Diego de Castilla, was imprisoned within its walls. Castle located on a hill 927 meters, was practically invulnerable and is still admired for its greatness. Inside the castle, a luxurious hotel was built with 26 rooms, apartments, conference rooms, a restaurant, banquet and concert halls, a swimming pool, and outdoor terraces.

After lunch at the castle’s restaurant, you are invited to relax in the four-star spa hotel “Convento Las Claras”, spending time with beauty and healing treatments. The hotel is housed in a former convent dating back to 1606, which has been renovated to preserve the original architecture and 400-year-old decorations. Return to the Torremilanos hotel for dinner.

Day 3

Breakfast at the Torremilanos hotel. Departure to the city of Peñaranda de Duero, visiting the castle of Peñaranda de Duero and Avellaneda Palace.

The well-preserved Roman castle of Peñaranda de Duero, with 15th-century defenses, combined with a palace and ancient city buildings, makes this one of the most attractive places in the region. Peñaranda de Duero invites you to visit the 16th century Santa Anna Church, a forge with wrought iron museum exhibits, and the Ontoria de Valdearados Museum. Here is the oldest operating pharmacy in Spain, La Botica Chimen, where you can see an 18th-century laboratory with ancient equipment, a collection of herbs and potions. Lunch at one of the restaurants in Peñaranda de Duero, serving fine local cuisine and Ribera del Duero wines.

Visit to the El Lagar de Isia winery, its underground cellars, wine tasting. The cellars of El Lagar de Isia hold a wine of recognized quality, which has won numerous national and international awards. Return to Aranda de Duero, dinner in a restaurant with the best dishes and wines of Ribera del Duero.

Day 4

Breakfast at the Torremilanos hotel. Visit to the Museum “House of Balls” (Museo Casa de las Bolas), the art and architectural wine museum “CIAVIN” and the underground wine cellar “Las Animas”. A visit to the Las Animas winery gives an insight into the traditional methods of storing wine in underground galleries. Lunch at the restaurant “Los Rastrojos” and rest in the open botanical garden, where there is an equestrian club.

After lunch at the Los Rastrojos restaurant, you will visit the Real Finca de la Ventosia winery, where visitors are invited to drive an off-road vehicle through the vineyards, and taste the best wines, combined with traditional dishes.

Day 5

Breakfast at the hotel, visit to medieval underground cellars, where you will meet unusual characters from the 18th century. Wine tasting in an exciting way, in the form of a performance. Breakfast in an underground winery. End of the tour, return to Madrid by bus.

Center for services for life and business “Spain in Russian” is your guide in the world of individual tourism. Organization of tours, routes, trips, tickets for various events, excursions with the best guides, organization of holidays. Services for demanding clients.

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12 best wine routes in Spain routes, we recommend that you take a wine tour in one of your next trips to Spain: enjoy the landscapes of vineyards, visit wineries, participate in tastings or take part directly in the care of the vine and in local holidays.

Spain is one of the largest wine producers in the world. In our Kingdom, there are 69 regions that have the status of “Denomination of Origin”, as well as many other quality wines with the status of “Author’s wines”, “Garage wines” and “Wine of the plantation”. The oenological wealth of Spain is impressive, and it is not surprising that grapes are grown here in all regions of the country, despite the difference in climatic, soil and other conditions.

We present our ranking of Spain’s Best Wine Routes to help you navigate this variety and choose your vineyard and winery tour.

Traveling in Spain’s wine regions is possible all year round and every season you will find its advantages and its beauty.

1 Rioja Alavesa Wine Route

Rioja Alavesa, the southernmost region of the Basque Country, was one of the first in Spain to think about the availability and attractiveness of wine tourism. Since the end of the 90s, one after another, wineries began to invite the best architects from all over the world to build new buildings for their factories, turning the region into a real open-air museum of modern architecture.

Some wineries have gone the traditional way and built in the traditional “château” style. The owners of the ancient, medieval cellars, tried to do everything to make their cellars accessible and interesting for visitors.

And as a result of the transformations of the last 20 years, Rioja Alavesa has deservedly become the most attractive region in Spain for tourists, providing many interesting programs for recreation.

The famous cuisine of the Basque Country, magnificent landscapes, history, traditions and service make the Rioja Alavesa wine tour one of the richest and most privileged.

2 Ribera del Duero Wine Route

Ribera del Duero is one of the most interesting regions for wine tourism in Spain. Between Valladolid, Burgos and Soria, you will find many excellent wineries producing the best wines in Spain, as well as a rich history, delicious traditional cuisine and many interesting towns and villages.

The route through the vineyards and wineries of Ribera del Duero is closely intertwined with ancient castles, monasteries and the best Gothic cathedrals in Spain.

Here you can stay in traditional small estates, as well as modern wineries with excellent “spa complexes” that provide the services of the now fashionable “wine therapy”.

A walk in the hills of Peñaranda de Duero will give you a real pleasure.

3 Wine route in Galicia Rias Baixas

Galicia is one of the most mysterious and mysterious corners of Spain. Its stunning green landscapes will not leave anyone indifferent. And if your trip to this “Galician fairy tale” is combined with a visit to wineries, then be sure that your vacation was a success!

Rias-Baixas received the “Denomination of Origin” only 25 years ago. But already today the wines of this region are one of the most recognizable and beloved. Refined white wine Albariño is excellent as an aperitif for dinner and goes well with seafood cuisine. After all, this is, first of all, a wine with a delicate aroma of the ocean.

Today, Rias Baixas has 50 wineries open to the public and over 100 different wine tourism programs.

Your winery itineraries will take you through fishing towns, traditional manor houses and monasteries with varied landscapes of vineyards and the wonderful nature of Galicia.

4 Cava del Penedès wine route

In the heart of Catalonia, close to Barcelona and Sitges, you can find endless landscapes of vineyards.

The wine cellars of Penedès, where they produce not only wines but also delicious champagne, are good to visit during the grape harvest in September and October.

A great place to start your wine tour of Catalonia is the Castelloig or Cavez Nadal winery. And be sure to stroll along Sant Sadurni, the capital of the famous Cava.

5 Marco de Jerez wine and brandy route

This Andalusian wine route brings together 3 regions with the ‘Denomination of Origin’ statute: Jerez-Cherri, Manzanilla de Sanlúcar and Vinagre de Jerez, as well as the region “Specific Appellation” Brandy de Jerez.

Andalusia, Spain’s sunniest and most artistic region, produces excellent wines and excellent brandies.

The wine and brandy route of Marco de Jerez passes through small mountain towns and port villages, each of which can surprise you with its interesting culture and rich history. Visiting Andalusian wine cellars accompanied by traditional cuisine is a pleasure accessible to everyone.

6 Utiel Requena Wine Route

The Valencian community is a great place for wine tasting lovers. Just a few kilometers from the sea lies the Utiel Requena wine route. And this is the only place in the world where Bobal grapes are used for wine production. The region’s wine cellars produce very intense red and rosé wines.

Seven thousand families and more than 100 wine cellars live here by the production and culture of winemaking, which in this region has a history of more than 2,500 years.

The region is also famous for its senderism trails, ideal for enjoying places such as the Hoses del Cabriel Nature Park.

7 Rioja Alta Wine Route

Speaking of winemaking in Spain, we can’t ignore Upper Rioja. This is the cradle of winemaking and wine culture, the region where our main culture was born, where the best wines of Spain have been produced since ancient times. And today, Rioja Alta provides a thousand opportunities to experience the culture of winemaking.

Here you can visit both modern productions and traditional wine cellars, enjoy Riojan cuisine and stunning landscapes.

Put on comfortable shoes and lose yourself in the vineyards for a few days walking through the idyllic countryside. Enjoy the life of the “Real Spain”, a working Spain, a kingdom that carefully guards its history, culture and traditions.

8 Priorat Wine Route

On the steep slopes of the Pyrenees, in a harsh mountain climate, local farmers have been growing vineyards since ancient times. This particular zone, due to its climatic and geological conditions, produces a crop from which excellent wines are made.

We recommend you to stay in one of the hotels among the vineyards to enjoy the countryside, to travel among the “temples of wine” such as Cornudella de Montsant and Falset.

And be sure to go down to the ancient wine cellars of the Skala Dei monastery.

9 Jumilla Wine Route

In Murcia, the Vendimia Grape Festival takes place in mid-August.

And if you want to take part in the harvest, and directly in its production, trampling berries in a large barrel with your feet, squeezing juice out of them, then you will get this pleasure in full here!

Festivities in Murcia are held in a big way and for everyone: for young people, old people and even children who organize their festive processions.

10 Ribeira Sacra wine route

La Ribeira Sacra is another part of Galicia where wine is produced with great enthusiasm.

20 towns in the central part of Galicia between Lugo and Ourense, spread along the banks of the Minho, Sil and Cabe rivers, part of the Ribeira Sacra wine route, will not only introduce you to their unique excellent wines, but also lure you into a real fairy tale with their pastoral landscapes .

Ribeira Sacra is a land of canyons and gorges, surrounded by evergreen forests, as well as monasteries, temples and prehistoric ruins.

11 Somontano Wine Route

At the foot of the Pyrenees, in the center of the province of Huesca, Aragon, is Somontano, one of the privileged places in the world, where wine is art, gastronomy, culture and life itself. The perfect place to enjoy the magic of wine!

Somontano is a kaleidoscope of medieval mountain towns, magnificent nature, gastronomy, good wine and hundreds of other charming places.

Endless vineyards are surrounded by marvels of Romanesque art and breathtaking mountain scenery, indented canyons and ravines of the La Sierra Nature Reserve and Los Cañones de Guara.

On the first weekend of August, the Somontano Wine Festival is celebrated here in the town of Barbastro, which we recommend you visit.

The Somontano Wine Route guarantees high quality wines, excellent service and professionalism to help you enjoy your travels.