RIBERA DEL DUERO WINE TOUR

Madrid → Ribera del Duero → Madrid

☾ 2 Nights

TRIP OVERVIEW

From the bright lights and busy avenues of Madrid to Ribera del Duero is quite a change. In less than two hours you’re in a wide-open country with villages few and far between and dry fields dotted with gnarled stumps that turn out to be old Tempranillo vines. It’s the old Tempranillo vines that have given people a good reason to visit Ribera, as they make the local red wines as deep and strong as they are. From your base at abbey turned luxury hotel Abadía Retuerta, you’ll visit iconic wineries and small growers who are making Ribera del Duero one of Spain’s most interesting wine regions today. This trip will also show you the best of local Castillian cuisine, from traditional roast lamb to modern dishes based on local traditions.

RIBERA DEL DUERO WINE TOUR

DAY 1 – Ribera Terroir & Roast Lamb

You’ll start tasting at Viña Sastre, a famous family-run winery in Ribera’s high-elevation prime vineyard zone. Jesús Sastre is the captain here, an amiable visionary who’s made Sastre’s pioneering single-vineyard wines a particular success. Can you taste the age of the vines? Maybe, but you can definitely taste the quality. Just down the country road, Alonso del Yerro’s winery sits on a hilltop surrounded by manicured vines. The winery began as a family passion project, but more than two decades on Alonso del Yerro has become a top-tier winery. The Ribera reds are elegant and silky while retaining the power local Tempranillo offers. You’ll taste Alonso del Yerro wines with a member of the family.

Lunchtime is sacred in the countryside, so head to lamb temple Asados Nazareno for the most typical of Ribera del Duero menus: roast lamb. See the brick ovens and suckling lambs ready to be roasted. Locals start with sizzling Burgos morcilla (black, savory sausage) before a quarter lamb with green salad. It’s easy to imagine the ancient Iberians eating this same meal, and it’s a perfect match for the local wines. The post-prandial will be at Abadía Retuerta, a former abbey turned into Spain’s finest rural hotel. Relaxing in the courtyard or overlooking the vineyards doesn’t disappoint. For a light dinner head to the Vinoteca for elegant fare (everything at Abadía Retuerta is elegant) and as much Abadía Retuerta wine as you could need.

Day 2 – Luxury Ribera del Duero

Along the Duero river today for two contrasting visions of Ribera wine. Your first stop, Sei Solo,  is a small winery with big ambitions. Second-generation owner-winemaker Michael Zaccagnini makes a pair of reds that balance intensity and elegance from old vines near La Horra. The winery is small and functional, but visiting Sei Solo with Michael makes for a special experience. Just down the road, Pago de Carraovejas is an ambitious project, complete with a sustainable architect-planned winery, rows of pristine barrels and a Michelin star restaurant. The wines here are not only superb, but positively attractive, from the food-friendly flagship to the deep, rich single-vineyard reds. Carraovejas owns a few wineries in other parts of Spain, so you’ll also try wines from Rueda, Galicia and other areas.

For lunch, head down by the river to former water mill turned restaurant and hotel Fuente Aceña. The cozy restaurant is one of Ribera’s best, a favorite of winemakers which serves elegant vegetable and seafood-forward dishes alongside a great wine list. Highlights include rotating wines by the glass, local grower selections and iconic bottles from nearby Vega Sicilia and Pingus. Back at Abadía Retuerta, consider something completely different for dinner: the hotel’s premier restaurant El Refectorio. It holds one Michelin star and serves visionary tasting menus combining local produce and heritage recipes with fine dining creativity. The wine cellar overflows with Abadíaa Retuerta library wines and other unicorns. Bonus: the dining room occupies the one-time refectory of the abbey.

Day 3 – Departure

Private transfer back to Madrid to continue your trip.

WHERE YOU’LL STAY

Abadía Retuerta

The 12th century abbey of Abadía Retuerta has been converted into the most luxurious hotel in the Ribera del Duero. Pharmaceutical giant Novartis acquired the historic property in 1988, and after first restarting wine production, they set about restoring the abbey. The hotel has preserved the monastic atmosphere, turning the monks’ rooms into hotel rooms, the courtyard into a seasonal terrace, and the refectory into a Michelin star restaurant. You won’t have to be a monk to stay here, however. The rooms are beautifully designed and spacious, featuring views over the vineyards of the estate. The service goes above and beyond, with each guest assigned their own expert butler reachable on a dedicated cell phone for any imaginable need. In addition to the Michelin star restaurant, you can drink wine and eat in the more casual Vinoteca or outdoors when the weather permits. There is also a superb spa and an outdoor pool. Abadía Retuerta is the perfect place to disconnect and relax after a day of traveling the Ribera del Duero.

WHERE YOU’LL GO

RIBERA DEL DUERO

The highway heading east out of Valladolid hugs the Duero River all the way to the end of the Ribera del Duero wine region in Soria province. The wineries start right away. Converted monasteries and gleaming modern structures sit surrounded by fields of vineyards. Blink and you’ll miss a famous name: Mauro, Vega Sicilia, Pingus, Pesquera. The most famous region title goes to Rioja, but this is where the legends of Spanish fine wine become real. For the highest wine region in Spain, it’s surprisingly flat country, interrupted by castles and old watchtowers. The towns cluster along the Duero where they can, dominated by structures that seem older than the towns themselves. Roast lamb is the classic dish here, considered a perfect match for the powerful local reds. Explore a wine list, or better yet a winery, and you’ll soon find more than power here. Whether from famous names or small vignerons, today’s Riberas can be elegant, restrained, and absolutely divine.

The altitude and extreme continental climate help to build structured elegant and often bold wines, made almost entirely from Tempranillo (known here as Tinta del País or Tinto Fino). These wines benefit from aging, especially the reservas and gran reservas. A better match for the hearty local cuisine than Ribera wines would be hard to come by. Top recommended dishes are roast baby lamb, hearty stews and sheep’s milk cheeses. Ribera is not only about the well known wines favored by the critics and wine enthusiasts. New players have entered the field, typically smaller wineries, whose innovative practices in the field and in the bodega are expanding on the flavors of Ribera del Duero wines.

WHAT’S INCLUDED

  • 2 nights hotel, double occupancy, breakfast daily, expert private guides, private tours, premium tastings at wineries, restaurant concierge service and all reservations, private luxury transport

NOT INCLUDED

  • flights to/from Spain or Portugal, gratuities to guides and drivers, travel insurance (recommended)

EPICUREAN WAYS ADVANTAGE

We pride ourselves on our discerning taste in hotels, a concierge approach to restaurants for you, and our long experience in the world of wine enabling us to select wineries worth visiting and arrange premium tastings at each winery.

You will be accompanied by a driver-guide during your wine touring. Your visits and tastings will be private and with the winemaker, a family member or an expert who knows the winery and the wines well. We work with the wineries to make sure that you taste the best and most representative wines during each visit. It is sometimes possible to arrange extended tastings that include old vintages or rare wines. We have an extensive group of wineries whose owners we know and with whom we work regularly, so we can guarantee high-level visits even if a winery has to be substituted. If you have an interest in visiting a particular producer please let us know.

We include restaurant concierge service as part of your trip. Note that our restaurant suggestions are just that–suggestions. Places we love, places to go back to time after time. We recommend these places after years of experience eating in Spain and Portugal together with frequent research and input from our local partners. We aspire to guide your choices with information on the styles of cuisine and restaurants; the choice on where to eat is yours based on your preferences and desires.

We have extensive experience with hotels ranging from 5-star luxury properties to private boutique hotels. Let us know your preferences and we will tailor the hotel choices for you.

All tours, experiences and hotels are subject to availability and will be confirmed upon booking the trip.

TRIP PRICES

Note that we can customize this trip for you. Add days in your arrival or departure city or in other locations or make changes to the experiences, winery visits, restaurants, or hotels included in the trip. Whatever it is, we’re here to work with you. Once you’re happy with the trip plan and have some idea of your dates we will send you the price.