Personalized Tours in France, Spain and Portugal

Wines of Northern Spain

Penedès, Somontano, Ribera, La Rioja, Rueda

This suggested route covers the wine-producing regions along the Ebro and the Duero rivers in northern Spain from Barcelona, in Catalonia, across to Tordesillas near Salamanca, close to the Portuguese border.

The many guided winery tours will help you appreciate the rich cultural heritage of Spanish wines, dating back to the Roman and the Moorish occupation of the country. Along with the local cuisine, you will discover new wines, new grape varieties and new terminology, and you will also learn to better appreciate the nuances of the world of enology: "cava," "méthode champenoise," "Denominación de Origen" (D.O.) and more.

One of the best known places for the tasting of Spanish wines is the region of Penedès, right outside Barcelona. The excellent wines it produces were first mentioned by the Romans and wine-making traditions and culture have been preserved for centuries in this area. Penedès has an ideal climate for wine-making and offers the largest variety of wines in the world.

The other must-see wine region on this tour is La Rioja, the Bordeaux of Spain. La Rioja is divided into three areas: Rioja Alavesa, Rioja Alta and Rioja Baja. The banks of the Iregua River have many micro climates, and wine-making is a booming industry all over the surrounding hills. Most wineries of the region produce blends from the three parts of La Rioja, with the red wines being the most popular. The Paternina winery, one of the oldest in Spain, is near Haro. In Elciego, just a few miles away, the Marques de Riscal winery recently opened its new headquarters designed by avant-garde architect Frank Gehry. The exterior finish of waving silver, gold and burgundy-colored titanium sheets make the building an absolutely stunning sight to see.

Peñafiel, a little further west, is another very interesting wine region to tour. Wine production in this area dates back to the 12th century when the monks of Cluny, France, were already making Valbuena de Duero wine in this location. The famous Tempranillo grape is the most traditional variety in this area.

Visiting wineries is a fun activity, no doubt. But don't forget that while tasting the many wonderful wines of northern Spain on this tour route from Barcelona to La Rioja, you will also have the opportunity to immerse yourself in the rich local culture. You will have a unique chance to savor the tasty and endlessly varied Spanish cuisine.

There are many more possibilities: Alella, Somontano, Rueda, Albarino (in Galicia), etc.

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