Cellar Tours Blog

Wine Tasting Site Inspection in La Rioja

We spent another couple days after the conference visiting wineries, some like Finca Valpiedra with whom we have been working for years, and other new ones like the spectacular Baigorri. We had a GREAT time! Here are the notes on our visits:

Marqués de Vargas

Located just outside Logroño next to the ultra prestigious Marqués de Murrieta, Eva is the polite host at this regal estate. The winery is uniquely a “Chateau” style and the owner is an aristocrat who also has a beautiful family residence on the estate. The winery is set up to receive VIP guests and they indeed cater to guests looking for exclusive tours. We tasted their flagship Rioja Reserva (not a tough way to start the day!) and other wines you can enjoy on private tours here include their white Pazo San Mauro albariño (made in their sister estate in Galicia) and rich Conde de San Cristóbal, made in the Ribera del Duero wine region. In spring and summer, the white wine can be taken as an aperitif overlooking their picturesque vineyards and then reds will follow in the professional tasting room. Delicious wine and an elegant place, loved it.

More info on the Marqués de Vargas wine estate here.

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Baigorri

One of Rioja´s newest and most innovative wineries, Baigorri is located just outside of the darling medieval hamlet of Samaniego (where cult winery Remirez de Ganuza´s estate is). The winery´s main attraction (apart from the wines of course) is its giant glass “box” which is perched on a platform and offers dramatic panoramic views over the vineyard-covered valleys on all sides.This estate offers a nice contemporary contrast to the older, historic cellars. The staff are young, competent and friendly and the wines were quite good. Geni gave us a great tour!

We dined at their beautiful restaurant overlooking the vineyards (other views in the restaurant look over the hundreds of oak barriques below). We tried the tasting menu pared with the entire line of wines (we were not driving!) and had the following outstanding lunch:

Amuse Bouches: Paté a la trufa natural (pate made with truffle) and Anchoa con pimiento del cristal (sauteed anchovy accompanied by “crystallized” red piquillo pepper), Croquetas caseras (homemade croquettes which were UNBELIEVABLE) and Salmón cruijiente al limón (crunch salmon a la lemon)- these were paired with the Baigorri fermentado en barrica (French barrel fermented Viura)

Appetizer/Starter: Alubias del pais con morcilla (in the photo below, this is a simple and delicious country dish made with local beans, blood pudding and tangy Guindilla peppers), paired with the Baigorri Crianza (juicy red, loved it)

Entre/ Main Course: Carillera de Ibérico al maceración Carbónica con hongos (slow cooked Iberian pork jowl cooked in young wine and mushrooms- paired with the Baigorri Garaje (Garage wine, their top wine, very good) and we also tasted their Reserva wine (actually preferred the Crianza to the reserva, but Garaje was favorite of them all).

Dessert- Cremoso de yema con yogurt, frutos rojos y helado crujiente- too many calories to describe, lovely

More info on the Baigorri wine estate here.

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Finca Valpiedra

The Finca Valpiedra has long been one of our favorite partners in La Rioja. This estate has it all- fabulous wines, stunning location overlooking the river and unspoiled vineyards in all directions, professional tasting room with million dollar views- and now they have Arancha. One of the most dynamic wine tourism professionals we have met in a long time in Spain, she is passionate about her job and about the estate´s wines. This is always fantastic for us to see, and we spent the late afternoon tasting Finca Valpiedrás finest wines including a vertical tasting of different Valpiedra vintages, 2 vintages of their 2nd brand (which we are crazy about) Cantos and various wines from their sister winery Finca Antigua (located in La Mancha) such as the simple but aromatic 100% blanco (made with Viura that spends 5 months on its lees), a delicious Moscatel and their cult (pricey) Clavis wine. We have some new, fun ideas for our tours here that will be very, very special….

More info on the Finca Valpiedra wine estate here.

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Ontañon

Don´t let the industrial location of this FABULOUS winery put you off. When you first arrive to Ontañon, you are not sure if you are arriving to a winery or a car dealership as indeed the previous life of this winery was a factory and the unattractive area outside completely hides the gem inside. Once you enter you literally enter another world. The infectious enthusiasm and charm of guide Jesus will win you over immediately and the interior is an alluring combination of medieval museum/ antiquities gallery adorned with wine barrels and bottles. We have worked with Ontañon for a few years and the quality of their tours has gone from strength to strength. On this particular morning, after a stroll through the cellar we tasted the Gran Reserva with Jesus, as well as their dessert wine and some high end olive oils they are now making. The winery (uniquely for the region) has a great shop with plenty of wine paraphenelia on offer, such as their own made wine chocolates, and wine spa products from the Nueva Antigua product line, made in Logroño. We love Ontañon and have some new ideas for this year such as Jazz and Wine….

More info on the Ontañon wine estate here.

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Castillo de Cuzcurrita

Not many wineries can boast they have an actual castle, and the tiny medieval nucleus of this wine estate and hamlet is quite special. The estate is precious with manicured vineyards, gardens, a historic castle and views over a tiny, flowing stream. And the wines are something else! We were hosted by the sales director and wine tourism manager and spent Sunday morning sipping their Rioja Reserva in a stone room of the castle. In nice weather, tastings can be organized outside in their pretty patio or even within the vineyard under a giant oak tree. This estate is in the very early stages of opening up for exclusive tours and we are excited to be working with them this year, adding them to our portfolio of partners. Fun fact- their wine maker is the super famous flying winemaker Ana Martin (of Itsas Mendi in Basque Country, Guitian in Valdeorras and Traslanzas in Cigales).

More info on the Castillo de Cuzcurrita wine estate here.

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Want to visit La Rioja? Here is some information on the Rioja wine region as well as a list of wineries, some of which open to the general public.  You can either sign up for a private and VIP chauffeured tour or you can have your hotel help you organize visits and local taxis. Don´t risk driving your own car if you will be tasting, as the wines here are strong (14 degrees +) and pourings generous!

Stay at the dramatic 5* Luxury Hotel designed by Frank Gehry at the Marqués de Riscal wine estate, the comfortable 4* Villa de Laguardia, or the rustic but adorable Villa de Abalos. If you speak Spanish then one of the many little country inns in Rioja could be an inexpensive and cozy choice.

While in Rioja, why not add a few days on to your vacation in the nearby Basque Country where you can eat at a number of Michelin starred restaurants, visit beautiful San Sebastian, check out the one and only Guggenheim museum in Bilbao, etc.

Rioja is simply one of our favorite wine regions in Europe and for wine lovers, we cannot suggest a trip here highly enough!