Private and Bespoke
Travel
THE ULTIMATE SPANISH WINE EXPERIENCE
Get ready for the perfect cocktail of fun, exclusivity, education and the best wines Spain has to offer! We’ll hang out with local winemakers, get our hands dirty in the fields, savor delicious dishes in fantastic local restaurants and kick back in some of the best boutique hotels around Spain. Of all of the wines we’ll taste, you’re sure to find your favorite and come away with a good breadth of knowledge about what makes the wines of Spain so special. For those who just enjoy drinking to trained wine professionals, this 9-day retreat is for you!
SUGGESTED PLAN
Day 1
BARCELONA CULTURAL IMMERSION TAPAS & WINE TOUR
This evening's food and wine tour is all about decoding Barcelona using its great bars and restaurants. Aside from being a great night out, this experiences will set the stage for your whole wine retreat, and leave you with a full overview of Spanish wine.
Day 2
CAVA & PENEDES
The focus of this day is to try a variety of fabulous still and sparking wines of the DO Pendes and Cava. We will visit a small boutique, vineyards get a brief history of the region, the grapes grown here and the processes used, then we'll go into the facilities and down into the cellar for an explanation of the equipment used to elaborate the wine, the storage processes and the bottling methods. Afterwards, we will head to the tasting room for very generous tastings of their top wines and cavas. We’ll then enjoy an awesome traditional Catalan meal at the winery. Following lunch we will drive 1hr south west to the incredibly beautiful and rugged Priorat wine region, with its steep hills covered from top to bottom in craggy vines. On arrival we will check into our hotel for 2 nights.
Day 3
PRIORAT: VINEYARDS OF THE PRIORAT
We'll begin with a visit at one of the wineries that was one of the first of the modern Priorat renaissance in wine making, also happens to be one of the prettiest vineyards, and most informative visits. After this wonderful visit, we will head to Gratallops. This tiny town is at the forefront of wine production in the area. We’ll visit a winery also known for being one of the first in the region and is quite a charming character. While there, you'll enjoy a fantastic, traditional lunch in the winery. While eating lunch, we will pair each dish with one of their wines, getting to taste their full range. Following lunch, we will head to the charming little town of Porrera, about a 20 min drive away and head to meet with the owners of a family-run winery to tour their beautiful vineyards and taste their fabulous vintages.
Day 4
SCALA DEI & TRAIN TO RIOJA
After checking out of our hotel, we’ll begin with a drive to Scala Dei. Here we will find an amazing Carthusian Monastery that was the key to the growth of the whole region. We will have a private tour of the monastery and learn all about the history of wine production in the area. We’ll then pop over to the little neighboring village and have a tour and tasting at an olive oil facility. After this wonderful visit, we will have a fantastic lunch at one of our favorite local restaurants. We will then transfer to Camp de Tarragona train station and catch a Train to Logroño. On arrival in the early evening, enjoy a fun tapas crawl. We’ll then head to our hotel in Laguardia for check in.
Day 5
WINES OF THE D.O.C.a RIOJA
We will drive to Haro for our first winery visit at one of the famous 100 years old vineyards, widely regarded as one of the top wineries in the area. After our visit, we will head for a rustic lunch in a charming little countryside restaurant. After lunch, your guide will drive to a tiny village to meet with the owner of a family-run winery, to tour their beautiful vineyards and taste their fabulous vintages. The purpose of this visit is to catch the other side of Rioja wine making. We will then return to your accommodation in the early evening in time for dinner.
Day 6
LA RIOJA BY BIKE
Today we will have a leisurely day, cycling through wine country on mostly flat paths. You will fully be able to appreciate the beauty of the landscape as you breeze past all the amazing vineyards. End at a small family run bodega and enjoy an awesome picnic lunch prepared for you between the vines. Evening at leisure.
Day 7
VIVANCO & BURGOS
In the morning, we will check out of the hotel and be picked up. We will head to the museum of wine culture. This spectacular complex is the largest wine museum in the world, an ambitious project of the Vivanco family, displaying their amazing private collection of wine materials, including ancient drinking vessels, centuries old pruning shears, and all types of wine paraphernalia. Following our visit, we will head to a great little lunch venue in the area for a traditional Riojan style lunch. After lunch we will head 1hr to Burgos to visit one of the most impressive Cathedrals in Spain. We will then continue our drive to reach the our amazing historic spa hotel in the DO Ribera del Duero.
Day 8
RIBERA DEL DUERO DAY
After breakfast we will head toward Peñafiel, an important town in the DO Ribera del Duero. Upon arrival we will head straight to the top of the majestic castle that looks over the whole region. Housed inside the castle is a great museum dedicated to the history of Spanish wine production. We will then head down into the town for an awesome lechal (suckling lamb) lunch. With bellies full of wine and great food, we’ll drive to a nearby D.O. Ribera del Duero winery for a visit and tasting. Afternoon and evening at leisure.
Day 9
DO VINOS DE MADRID
Check out of your hotel and spend your last day with a local wine expert in the DO Vinos de Madrid. Start with a visit and tasting with a top producer in the area, making Grenache and Albillo wines. Then drive about 30 min away to a second producer in the same region, and we'll have a more extensive visit and tasting with lunch at the winery. Finally end in Madrid for a fantastic final meal.