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Visit Spain, dedicated to my favorite subject.Here you'll find a wealth of travel hints and information about Spain.
Wine Tours in Spain
Wine tourism in Spain is not anywhere near as well developed
as France or California, but the possibilities are as varied and interesting
as Spain itself. There are 47 official "appellations" known as
"Denominaciones de Origen"(DO), spread over the Iberian peninsula
and the country's two archipelagos: Canary and Baleric Islands. While each
DO region has it's fair share of fine wines, most lack the infrastructure
for mass tourism, and many "bodegas" are ill prepared to receive
visitors, especially non-Spanish speaking tourists.
For wine lovers, however, this certainly is more of a blessing than a handicap. Just the same, let's start with the better equiped regions: Rioja, Penedès and Jerez.
DOC Rioja
Rioja is Spain's largest and most visited region, with a fair level of wine touring infrastructure in place. Logroño is the capital, but Haro is truly the heart of Rioja's wine country. Located about 40 km from Logroño, and easily reached by the A-68 motorway, Haro is home to some of the region's most prestigious "bodegas" like Cune, La Rioja Alta, Muga, etc., and within easy driving range of hundreds of top class wineries like Remelluri, Marqués de Cáceres, Marqués de Riscal, Bodegas Palacio, and many more.
For more information contact the Rioja Tourist Board:
Oficina de Turismo
Miguel Villanueva, 10
26071 Logroño
La Rioja, Spain
Tel: 34-41-29 12 60
Fax: 34-41-25 60 45
DO Penedès
Lying just south of Barcelona, the DO Penedès region is home to many top wineries, and the center of Spain's cava production as well. With Barcelona close at hand, lodging is no problem, and the wineries here are well prepared for visitors from all lands.
Villafranca del Penedés, the region's center, is an short drive from Barcelona, and home to Miguel Torres, the largest and most famous of the the Penedés wineries. San Sadurni d'Anoia, the cava capital is another must visit while touring the region.
For more information contact the Barcelona area Tourist Board:
Servei d'Esports i Turisme
C/ Comte d'Urgell, 187
08036 Barcelona
Tel: Int'l + 34 3 402 24 64
DO Jerez
Jerez de la Frontera, the sherry capital, lies in the southwest corner of Spain. The city is well connected by motorways, with it's own airport, good hotels, and wineries steeped in tradition and well prepared to receive visitors - but visiting hours here are strictly a morning affair.
Jerez is home to many of the best known sherry producers like Gonzalez Byass (Tio Pepe), John Harvey (Bristol Cream) and Emilio Lustau; but don't pass up the other key sherry towns of El Puerto de Santa Maria and Sanlúcar de Barrameda. Also, the Jerez equestrian show put on by Don Alvaro Domecq is something that should not be missed.
For more information about Jerez and the Andalusia region: Sherry winery
Other regions
Spread across the Spanish geography are many hidden treasures, here are a couple of my personal favorites:
- DO Somantano
- Nestled at the foot of the Pyrenees in the town of Barbastro,
province of Huesca, are three or four top class wineries that include:
Bodega Pirineos, Viñas del Vero, and Enate. Beautiful scenery, fine
wines.
- DO Navarra
- Just north of Rioja is the Navarra region. Don't miss the wineries in the picturesque town of Olite (Ochoa, Piedemonte, Marco Real), the pilgrim's stop at Puente la Reina, and of course the capital, Pamplona. Pleasant countyside, great food.
- DO Ribera del Duero
- Not much wine tourist infrastructure here, and many of the wineries of not well prepared for visitors. Just the same, there are excellent wines about (Pesquera, Protos, etc.); some beautiful historic monuments like the monastery at Silos and the Burgos cathedral; as well as the world's best roast baby lamb at Aranda del Duero.
Wine Touring Links
Winery Tours - Information on Rioja and Ribera del Duero winery visits.
Wine & Gastronomy Tour - Cobblestone Tours (previously Backroads International) Wine & Gastronomy Tour to Spain's Basque Country where good food and fine wines are order of the day.
Harvest Tour of Spain - Saranjan Tours' organized tour through the heart of Spain's wine country.
EuroAdventures - EuroAdventures Wine & Food Tours to Spain, Portugal small groups & private tours. Customised tours, Cooking Holidays, Walking Tours, Luxury Honeymoons...