La Rioja Wine Tours

After lunch, drive south to the La Rioja wine region, stopping in the beautiful medieval village, Sajazarra. You will undoubtedly appreciate a digestive walk, and what better than while taking in this stunning, historic village with ogival arches in its walls. Take time to explore the impressive 14^th Century castle or the Church of La Asunción from the 12^th and 13^th centuries with its image of the Virgen de la Antigua inside. It is then just a short 15-minute drive on to Cuzcurrita, where you will check into your charming inn, Teatrisso. A 17th-century house which has been beautifully restored into a gorgeous boutique hotel. Each room individually decorated, taking inspiration from cinema, theatre, literature, and music, as in the 20s and 30s, the house was used as a cinema and theatre. You will have a free evening to explore your original residence and beautiful surroundings. Bienvenidos!

After lunch, you will visit the wine bar at Muga, another spectacular winery and here you can enjoy a delicious “digestivo” and take a few photos before moving onto the Dinastia Vivanco Wine Museum in Briones, just a short 15 minute drive away. This is a unique experience and well worth a couple of hours of your time, as here they have captivated and presented beautifully the history of wine and man over 8.000 years. If you feel like you can manage a bit more walking, take a stroll around the idyllic medieval hamlet of Briones itself. The evening is yours to relax and enjoy in your charming inn, Teatrisso or further explore lovely Cuzcurrita.

This historic winery, with its vaulted stonework and ancient cellars dating back to the 16th century, produce artisan wines that are superb, smooth, modern-style, fruity, and elegant. After a visit with the owners themselves to this very charming, boutique wine estate, a home-cooked lunch follows, paired with their estate wines, naturally—an intimate and quite noncommercial experience. Lunch will likely include Patatas a la Riojana- Rioja style potatoes, Chuletillas al Sarmiento con Ensalada Verde – baby lamb chops cooked over grapevines followed by Flan de café. And washed down with Rielo, Cupani, Cupani Garnach, and Sir Cupani.

Mid-afternoon after your long, leisurely lunch, your driver will take you on to the hill-topped village of Laguardia. Once a best-kept secret, Laguardia has finally begun to receive foreign visitors as the word has spread how cute this little hamlet is! You will see for yourself and enjoy some free time here to take the beautiful walk along the ancient walls, check out some of its wine and gourmet shops or have an aperitif in the main plaza. From the panoramic lookout point in Laguardia, you can see Santiago Calatrava’s Ysios winery below in the valley and vineyards panning out for miles in all directions. In the early evening, your driver will take you to your hotel, another charming inn, Los Parajes, to freshen up before dinner.

At about 2 p.m., your driver will take you to Casa Primicia, the oldest building in the town of Laguardia. After many years of restoration on both the historic house and cellars, Casa Primicia proudly stands with all its medieval glory. Here you will be greeted by the owners and will be blown away by the down to earth welcome you receive; your hosts will take their time to make you feel at home over a fantastic wine barbecue accompanied by some of their finest productions including; Blanco Fermentado en Barrica, Rosado Casa Primicia, Crianza Carravalseca (ecológico), Julián Madrid Reserva de Familia. After such an energetic day, you will appreciate a quieter afternoon to visit charming local villages, such as picturesque Abalos. When you are ready, your chauffeur will return you to your charming inn, Los Parajes, for a relaxing evening.

Lunch follows and is a fun, light-hearted affair- a tapas crawl on the famous Calle del Laurel, just a 15-minute drive away in central Logroño. The street is packed with little tapas bars, and in admirable communal spirit (avoiding any potential competition), each bar specializes in two or three dishes, making a “tapas crawl” a necessity to enjoy the variety. Delicacies that you might find include; chistorra (chorizo with sweet paprika and garlic), setas (wild mushrooms cooked in garlicky butter), navajas (razor clams) or almejas (juicy clams) and txangurrito – a fishcake of crab and shellfish with a creamy béchamel.

After lunch, head to your luxurious design hotel at the Marques de Riscal winery. Your chauffeur will leave you here in plenty of time to explore this charming hotel and spa before getting ready for a gastronomic dinner at the hotel eatery. The Marques de Riscal Hotel is another masterpiece by Frank Gehry, where design, art, gastronomy, and wine meet for an unforgettable experience. Executive Chef Juan Bautista Peñas leads the Michelin star awarded restaurant. Here you will see how inspiration is taken from traditional Riojan style tapas and dishes, presented in a mouthwatering, innovative, ultra-design way that never ceases to amaze. Not forgetting the superb Marques de Riscal wines served to complete the experience. A real highlight on this tour!