Taste your way across Rioja’s wide variety of wine styles, from classic barrel-aged tempranillos to modern unconventional reds during a stunning day trip to the most famous Spanish wine region.
WHAT TO EXPECT
We will pick you up early in the morning and begin a 1.5 hour, spectacular drive to Haro. Don’t worry the time will fly! During the journey your guide will give you an introduction of the history of the region, wine and local traditions.
We will kick things off in the over century-old winery in Haro where you will get the introduction to what Rioja has to offer. You will sample a selection of their best wines while the guide explains to you classic and modern approach to winemaking and the insights of ongoing wine revolution in the region. Ah! And Rioja isn’t just famous for its wine… High quality olive oil is also a thing here! And you will have an opportunity to find out about it trying some delicious extra virgin olive oil from a tiny village of Ollauri.
Next, you will move onto a gorgeous, traditional winery for a 3-wine tasting including Joven, Reservaand Gran Reserva from Rioja DOC. You will discover how to decode the complex system of Spanish wine labeling and learn what makes Spain the sleeping giant of the wine world.
From Haro we will drive along the spectacular Sierra de Cantabria mountain range that makes a sharp divide between green Basque Country and dry central plateau to arrive at our next destination. Our third stop today is one of Rioja’s most emblematic family-run winery! You’ll sample a selection of thebodega’s finest wines, and get valuable tips on how to best pair each unique drink.
Now when you have already discovered the qualities of Rioja wine we will let you decide about bodega number 4! Your guide will choose the right winery based on your preferences: experimental or traditional, young or aged, classic tempranillo grape or maybe garnacha, graciano, mazuelo or even maturana tinta. The choice is yours!
Finally, it’s time for lunch! The guide will take you off the beaten track to visit one of the most iconic taverns. You will enjoy a 3-course, authentic Riojan lunch paired with a bottle of fabulous local wine.
During the trip you will not only treat your taste buds but also your mind and sight. You already found out that the region is great for wine and olive oil but there is one more thing that we can’t forget about – architecture! So we will find time to explore picturesque, medieval village of Laguardia and get good views of some of the most remarkable wineries like the Frank Gehry- designed Marqués de Riscal and gently melding into the mountainous backdrop landmark of Bodegas Ysios.
It’s time to leave Rioja picturesque villages and wineries behind and head back to our lovely San Sebastian!
My daughter and I just returned from an absolutely delightful day in the la Rioja region visiting wineries and having an incredible meal all arranged by Ikusnahi Tours. Booking the tour from our home in the United States could not have been easier and Ernes was quite professional and easy to work with. We were picked up right on time from our lodging in San Sebastián and felt very comfortable with Ernes from the beginning. We very much enjoyed learning about the region from Ernes and greatly appreciated all the information he had to share especially since it came from his firsthand experiences. We also had the opportunity to interact with a couple who had another guide from Ikusnahi Tours and they were also very happy with their experience so I am confident that the guides are all equally personable and knowledgeable. I would have no hesitation in recommending Ikusnahi Tours and look forward to booking with them again should we ever make it back to this part of Spain! My daughter and I just returned from an absolutely delightful day in the la Rioja region visiting wineries...