Spanish wines from Priorat, Montsant, Penedès & Terra Alta

Mediterranean Wine Tour in Catalonia

Overview

Sparkling Cava, Deep Reds and New White Wines in Mediterranean Spain

Taste your way through four wine regions that hold new revelations around every corner. This trip is a journey into the heart of Catalan wine country, visiting four very different regions in Catalonia. Start in Barcelona and head to the Penedès, home of Spain’s finest sparkling wines. Taste long-aged cavas before heading to the nearby Priorat, a mountainous region famous around the world for producing powerful, mineral reds. The Priorat landscape of steep slopes and hilltop villages would be enough to justify a visit, but the wines made here today are varied and fascinating. Discover wines from the different villages and soils of the Priorat, including producers in Falset, Gratallops, El Molar, Porrera, Bellmunt, Torroja and Porrera. From classic estates that helped make the Priorat legendary to well-funded upstarts sporting new ideas and methods, you’ll end up with a deep understanding of the small region. A truly varied wine landscape.

Surrounding the Priorat region is the Montsant wine region. The two regions share history and grape varieties but their soils differ: Montsant has little of Priorat’s typical slate soil. Montsant wines tend to be fresher and fruitier than Priorats as a result. In addition to Penedes, Priorat and Montsant wine country you will spend a day in the white wine Terra Alta region where Garnacha Blanca is the queen grape, producing structured, complex whites that are among the best in Catalonia. Throughout the trip you’ll dine at the best local restaurants, where the local wines shine in combination with traditional and innovative cuisine alike.

Barcelona → Penedès → Priorat → Montsant → Terra Alta → Barcelona

☾ 6 Nights

PENEDÈS WINE REGION

Penedès is a land of rolling hills and the source of Spain’s most famous sparkling wine: Cava. Cava has gotten a reputation as cheap bubbles around the world, but that’s not all there is to the wine here. Quality producers using the Cava brand or new invention Corpinnat are making world-class sparkling wines that age for years before release. Organic and biodynamic viticulture using indigenous grapes is bringing the vineyard back into focus in a region long run by big bottlers. Many producers are even showcasing the local Xarello grape in fine varietal white wines. There is very good cuisine in the Penedes, combining ingredients from the hills and the sea. The winery experiences are first-rate with jeep tours of the vineyards, hilltop wine tastings, long-aged sparkling wines to taste, sparkling-wine pairing meals and more.

PRIORAT WINE REGION

Priorat is the star of Cataluña’s wine lineup. Since a few brave winemakers recuperated old vines here in the 1970s, Priorat’s quality has exploded, along with its reputation. The terrain is dramatic: mountains topped with stone look down on vine-covered terraces and villages built in seemingly impossible spots. This is not an easy place to make wine. You’ll find many small wineries here growing vines on tiny plots, often using organic and biodynamic techniques. This and other innovations have helped Priorat’s trajectory continue upward. There are new regulations based on soil and climate studies with characteristic Catalan precision. International grape varieties have happily been pushed into the back seat by local Garnacha and Cariñena. Producers new and old have sought to make lighter, fresher wines that don’t need years to calm down. The result? Priorat is here to stay as one of the best wine regions in the world.

THE WINES OF PRIORAT

The modern history of Priorat can be said to begin with the release of the 1989 vintage from the five founding producers who went to this region in search of wine greatness. What they found were old vines of Garnacha and Cariñena planted on slate soils. Most early Priorat producers added in some international varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Syrah. New French oak was preferred. Everything came together to produce very powerful wines with enough elegance that critics took notice, awarding points and cementing the reputation of the region.

Today’s Priorats are not the same as they were in the 1980s. International grapes have become less attractive, with many producers reducing or removing them entirely. Cariñena has gone from an afterthought to a key for many producers: some of Priorat’s top wines today are 100% Cariñena. New oak was reduced, larger format barrels came into use, and grapes were picked earlier. All of this means that today’s Priorats are more accessible, fresher, and can often be appreciated in their youth when in the past it might have been mandatory to wait five years or more before considering opening a top bottle. Cariñena has also helped keep alcohol levels down in a region where summer can get very hot and where Garnacha can easily exceed 15%.

New regulations have been put in place, more closely following a Burgundian model than any region in Spain. There are village wines and three tiers of single-vineyard wines, with the top two loosely equivalent to Premier Cru and Grand Cru. Based on historical records and soil studies, the Priorat was divided into twelve villages and hundreds of named vineyard zones. Producers can apply to have their individual vineyards classified to use single vineyard labelling. The new rules ensure that grapes come from a single village, vineyard area, or vineyard. Each increase in classification carries with it other restrictions including limited yields, minimum vine age, and minimum percentages of local grapes. Priorat has also begun to regulate the term old vines (vinyes velles) so that any wines using it come from certified old vine plots that are at least 75 years old. These new regulations constitute the most advanced attempt in Spain to create a Burgundy-inspired hierarchy of quality.

Priorat produces almost exclusively red wines, but Garnacha Blanca-based white Priorats have caused some stir. Nearby Terra Alta may be more famous for this grape, but in the Priorat they are making excellent savory wines that pair very well with food. In some cases there are quite old vines. Look out for whites made from other varieties such as Xarello, Macabeo, or even Pedro Ximénez.

MONTSANT WINE REGION

Montsant surrounds the Priorat and has long been seen as the region’s little brother. Today, however, Montsant is home to some of Catalonia’s most exciting and innovative wineries. While Montsant doesn’t have much of the Priorat’s special slate soil, it has proven to be a great place to grow Garnacha. Montsant wines tend to be lighter and fresher than Priorats, making red Montsant a popular choice with food in Catalonia. The friendlier terrain and lack of global investment have also allowed young winemakers to start up in Montsant, producing all sorts of intriguing experimental wines. The titans of Priorat have started projects in Montsant as well, from Terroir al Limit to Sara Pérez, bringing welcome attention. This is a region to watch.

TERRA ALTA WINE REGION

Rarely are a grape and a region as closely associated as Terra Alta and Garnacha Blanca. White Grenache thrives on the high, dry plains of this southern Catalan wine region. While in other parts of Spain the grape has lost favor, here it has become a flagship. Under the careful care of the artisan winemakers of Terra Alta, Garnacha Blanca can make wines of real complexity, rich and deep without neglecting freshness. The winds that blow through the region also make it a perfect place for organic viticulture, something that’s attracted winemakers who prefer to farm without chemicals. The region’s wines have found favor with Spanish drinkers as well as sommeliers who use them in creative pairings. The truly unknown reds offer surprising complexity, whether from red Garnacha or rare local grapes like Morenillo.

Spanish wines from Priorat, Montsant, Penedès & Terra Alta

Mediterranean Wine Tour in Catalonia

DAY 1

PENEDÈS: CAVA COUNTRY

You’ll head from Barcelona into the Penedès, the home of Catalan sparkling wine. Visit top producers Gramona and Sabaté i Coca, both Corpinat Cava members. Have lunch at Ticus, where Penedès products are the star, before heading to your hotel in the heart of the Priorat.

  • Private transfer from Barcelona to the Penedès wine region

  • Gramona winery visit

  • Sabaté i Coca winery visit

  • Lunch at Ticus

  • Transfer to Priorat wine region

  • Overnight Priorat

Gramona Winery Visit

Gramona is one of the great family-owned houses of the Penedès, with more than a century of experience making long-aged sparkling wines that are among the world’s best. Adherence to tradition and attention to detail are the keys to Gramona’s enduring success. The sparkling wines use indigenous grapes from the best vineyards in the Penedès. Aging on the lees before disgorgement occurs in the enormous caves dug under the cellar in the center of Sant Sadurní d’Anoia. The bottles age with cork stoppers and are each disgorged by hand, a nearly lost tradition. It’s no coincidence that the Gramonas describe themselves as “artisans of time”. What has made the sparkling wines of the Penedès great is on full display here.

Yet all the tradition does not stop progress. Gramona were founding members of Corpinnat, the group of top Cava producers who left, disillusioned by the perceived lack of  quality and dilution of tradition. What’s more, Gramona have integrated sustainability and biodynamics into every part of the winery and vineyards with incredible precision and at scale. Biodynamic preparations are produced on site, there’s a farm that includes horses for plowing the vineyards, vehicles for traversing the estate are electric, and much more. All of this is in the service of improving and maintaining truly classic sparkling wines, looking forward to look back.

Visiting Gramona lets you see the past and the future of the Penedès. Learn about the sustainability initiatives that Gramona has taken on before heading into the caves below the cellar to see the racks of bottles aging in silence and darkness. You’ll have the chance to see a bottle disgorged by hand as it has been done at Gramona for generations.

Sabaté i Coca Winery Visit

Sabaté i Coca may be smaller than many wineries in the Penedès, but their excellent vineyards, quality winemaking and long aging allow them to produce extraordinary sparkling and still wines. This family run project makes wine from their own organic vineyards planted on the best soils in the hills of the Penedès. Their specialty is the Xarello grape, the finest of the trio typically used for cava. Sabaté i Coca left the Cava D.O. in 2019 along with other quality producers to join Corpinnat. You’ll find a wide range of delicious sparkling wines here, from the lovable and great value Castellroig line to top bottlings with years of lees aging like the 100% Xarello Reserva Familiar, one of the finest sparkling wines in the Penedès. Sabaté i Coca also produce several excellent still wines, among which the Xarello white wines stand out as examples of the potential of this indigenous grape. 

Lunch at Ticus

In the heart of cava capital Sant Sadurní d’Anoia, Ticus prepares and reinterprets the best of the cuisine of the Penedès. The Martínez brothers prepare and serve elegant dishes that bring together traditional local recipes with new creations, all focused on using exclusively local ingredients from the surrounding countryside and nearby Mediterranean. While one of the brothers is in charge of the kitchen, the other manages the wine cellar, giving Ticus a superb wine list that includes small-production wines from the Penedès and other Catalan wine regions.

DAY 2

THE HEART OF THE PRIORAT REGION

Start your exploration of Priorat’s wines in the heart of the region. Start at Mas Martinet, one of the region’s pioneers and a producer of complex reds and of revolutionary wines. Lunch at Clos Figueras pairs fresh local products with the estate’s white and red wines on the scenic terrace. In the afternoon, explore the power of terroir at biodynamic producer Mas d’en Gil in Bellmunt.

  • Mas Martinet winery visit

  • Clos Figueras wine-pairing lunch

  • Mas d’en Gil winery visit

  • Overnight Priorat

Mas Martinet Winery Visit

Along with peers such as René Barbier and Álvaro Palacios, Josep Lluís Pérez, together with his family, was one of the originators of the modern Priorat style in the 1980s. The Pérez family differed from the other pioneers in their lack of prior experience in the wine world, but the family learned quickly, catapulting Mas Martinet from a tiny experiment to a world-famous estate. Today, with Josep Lluís’s daughter Sara Pérez in charge of winemaking, Mas Martinet continues to innovate, especially by studying the history of the Priorat. Thus demijohns and clay jars are used to age wines, there is a vi ranci, a classic style of fortified wine from Cataluña, and an orange wine. Sara, both here and at her personal winery Venus La Universal, is always looking towards the future of the Priorat while maintaining what has made it one of the world’s finest wine regions.

Clos Figueras Wine-Pairing Lunch

After watching and helping elevate the Priorat from his position as a top wine négociant in Bordeaux, Christopher Cannan decided to start a winery of his own in Gratallops, in the heart of the Priorat. With the advice of his friend René Barbier he acquired some excellent vineyards near Gratallops and began making red and white Priorats in a small winery. Today, he has added a cozy restaurant where you can enjoy light Catalan cuisine based on products from the region, some grown in the estate’s garden. Since the Clos Figueras vineyards had very old olive trees planted, the winery also makes their own Arbequina olive oil. In the restaurant you can pair the dishes with Clos Figueras wines or choose from a curated selection of wines from Spain and around the world.

Mas d’en Gil Winery Visit

Mas d’en Gil is one of the oldest wine estates in the Priorat, with wines from the estate being bottled as early as the 19th century. In 1998, the property was bought by current owners Pere Rovira and his family, who have a long history making wine in the Penedès. The vineyards and winery were restored and Mas d’en Gil began bottling Priorat wines. From the beginning, the family was focused on sustainability and biodiversity on the property. Today, they’ve incorporated organic and biodynamic production and produce olive oil and vinegar from the property. The property has five valleys, yielding vineyards with a variety of soils and exposures. Among the wines of Mas d’en Gil you’ll find sincere, expressive village and single vineyard wines based on old vines and local grape varieties. This is a perfect producer to discover the expression of a lesser known area of the Priorat.

DAY 3

ARTISAN PRIORAT WINES

Discover another side of Priorat at Costers del Priorat, makers of fresh, artisan wines on the edge of the wine region. Old terraced vineyards provide fruit for deep savoury reds and exciting whites. Enjoy a taste of very old vi ranci here as well. Lunch will be at Amics, a hilltop winery restaurant serving creative Priorat cuisine which offers some of the region’s best views. Upon return to your hotel, one of Mas d’en Bruno’s sommeliers will guide you through a tasting of Priorat and Monsant wines.

  • Costers del Priorat winery visit

  • Lunch at Amics

  • Wine tasting at Mas d’en Bruno

  • Overnight Priorat

Costers del Priorat Winery Visit

This tiny winery down a Priorat back road is making some of the most surprising and appealing wines in the region. Winemaker José Mas presides over a converted 15th-century monastic house surrounded by forest and vineyards. Inside, winemaking tools range from French oak barrels and foudres to cement eggs and amphorae, all in the service of allowing the richness of the vineyards to shine through.

Costers del Priorat has access to exceptional vineyards planted right on the hillsides, the old vineyard style known as a coster that gives the winery its name. The wines are utterly unique and differ from those made by the stars in nearby Gratallops. For one, Costers produces two exceptional white wines from indigenous grapes like Garnacha Blanca and Macabeo, including an enchanting skin-contact white from old white vines interplanted in red vineyards. Then there are the two fresh, ethereal single-vineyard varietal Cariñenas from old vines that could convince you all on their own of the grape’s significance to the Priorat. The coupage reds carry the house style, light and bright, in a region known for very powerful wines, joyful yet serious bottles that beg to be taken home with you. Don’t miss the rare vi ranci, oxidatively aged and fortified red wine made by blending vintages that date back to 1870. To understand where Priorat began and a path forward from a visionary winemaker, Costers del Priorat is essential.

Lunch at Amics

Amics is located in the Buil & Giné winery just outside Gratallops. Here you can enjoy modern cuisine inspired by the products of the area in a beautiful space overlooking the vineyards of the estate. You’ll be able to enjoy a light Catalan cuisine with plenty of seasonal vegetables. The wine list features all of the Buil & Giné wines alongside an extensive selection of Priorat and Montsant wines.

Wine tasting at Mas d’en Bruno

A local wine expert will take you on a journey into the wines of the Priorat. This tiny wine region offers an incredible diversity of styles thanks to creative winemakers and varied terroir. A private tasting will give you a unique chance to try wines that you aren’t likely to encounter elsewhere from the region’s small producers. To accompany your tasting, a selection of gourmet local products will give you a chance to experience Priorat’s pairing potential.

DAY 4

MONTSANT: PRIORAT’S EXCITING NEIGHBOR

Step across the border into the Montsant wine region. Start with a deep dive into terroir at Acústic Celler, one of the region’s most exciting producers of red and white wines from native grapes. Then, artisan winery Coca i Fitó will show you the vineyards and wines that make the region so unique. Lunch will be at Brichs, Falset’s fine dining destination restaurant, paired with rare local wines.

  • Acústic Celler winery visit

  • Coca i Fitó winery visit

  • Lunch at Brichs

  • Overnight Priorat

Acústic Celler Winery Visit

Just outside Falset, across the border into Priorat’s neighboring wine region of Montsant, Acústic is one of Catalonia’s star wineries. Albert Jané left a winemaking heritage in the Penedès to start this artisan winery. Today he uses organic farming in his very old vineyards to make expressive, complex wines. The vineyards have a rare diversity of soils and elevations, giving rise to highly distinct flavors. All the grapes here are indigenous, from red Garnacha and Cariñena to Garnacha Blanca, Macabeo and rare Pansal on the white side. Jané’s wines have been chosen as some of the best Garnachas in the world and the best wines in Catalonia in recent years.

Coca i Fitó Winery Visit

The terraced vineyards of the Montsant village of El Masroig set the scene for Coca i Fitó, an artisan wine project making complex, terroir wines. Toni and Miquel Coca i Fitó started their winery with a single vineyard, and today they make a range of wines from the region. The brothers make accessible, fruity wines as well as deep, complex reds based on Garnacha and Cariñena. It’s fascinating to compare their single varietal reds with the blends to understand how grapes and vineyards behave in Montsant. This is a perfect visit to understand the uniqueness of Montsant and its differences from neighboring Priorat.

Lunch at Brichs

The newest addition to Falset’s fine dining scene, Brichs brings together traditional Catalan flavors with innovative techniques. Just a few minutes from the old town, Brichs is housed in modern building with enormous windows and an outdoor terrace in front. The dining room inside is comfortable and spacious, the perfect place to settle in after a day of travel. Whether you order à la carte or opt for the tasting menu, you’ll encounter traditional Priorat dishes like canelons alongside original creations and presentations using the best ingredients from Cataluña and other parts of Spain. The wine list features a range of wines from Priorat and Montsant, including iconic bottles and small-production wines that lend themselves to food pairing. The service is attentive and the staff will help you have a fantastic food and wine experience.

DAY 5

TERRA ALTA WINES: GARNACHA BLANCA TERROIR

Take a break from Priorat in the nearby Terra Alta wine region, Catalan white wine country. The high plateau of Terra Alta claims Garnacha Blanca as its star grape. You’ll visit two of the region’s artisan wineries before lunch at a restaurant that highlights local products like fresh vegetables, free-range meat and the welcome fish and seafood from the nearby Mediterranean.

  • Private transfer from Priorat to the Terra Alta wine region

  • Celler Lafou winery visit

  • Bàrbara Forés winery visit

  • Lunch at Sibarites

  • Transfer back to Priorat

  • Overnight Priorat

Celler Lafou Winery Visit

The passion project of Ramón Roqueta, a member of one of Catalonia’s oldest winemaking families, Lafou is centered on the superb Garnachas of Terra Alta. In a small old winery in the center of Batea, Lafou makes four wines from their excellent old vineyards–two whites and two reds. The whites are both pure Garnacha Blanca, expressive wines that have made their way into top restaurants and home cellars alike. Els Amelers is a young, floral expression, while Rams comes from an old vineyard swept by the coastal wind and is packed with freshness. The twin reds provide in turn fresh and deeply rich expressions of red Garnacha.

Bàrbara Forés Winery Visit

The family behind Bàrbara Forés were pioneers in the production of fine white wines in Terra Alta. At a small winery in Gandesa, the wine capital of Terra Alta, husband and wife Manuel and Carme, alongside their daughter Pili, produce a wide range of small-production Terra Alta wines. In the vineyards, they practice organic farming as well as regenerative agriculture, made easier by Terra Alta’s dry climate and winds. They are most famous for their Garnacha Blancas, which include the superbly mineral El Quintà and a brisat, the local name for skin-contact whites. The reds of the house are fresh and intriguing, including a bottling of the rare light-colored red grape Morenillo.

Lunch at Sibarites

In the wine village of Gandesa, Sibarites is the perfect restaurant to taste Terra Alta products with a creative twist. Chefs David and Elisa highlight local olive oil, vegetables, seafood and black truffles when in season. The menu changes with the seasons, and the dishes let the chefs showcase their creativity. The wine list is pure Terra Alta, with over 200 wines from the region available for the curious taster to open and pair.

DAY 6

HIGH-ELEVATION PRIORAT WINE

Finish off your Priorat journey in the high-elevation villages of Priorat. Terroir al Limit’s ethereal wines will give you a taste of the future of Priorat. Then, at Ferrer Bobet near Porrera, you’ll dive headlong into the potential of the Cariñena grape. Finish off with lunch at La Cooperativa, known for excellent Priorat cuisine and a packed wine cellar.

  • Terroir al Limit winery visit

  • Ferrer Bobet winery visit

  • Lunch at La Cooperativa

  • Overnight Priorat

Terroir al Limit Winery Visit

Dominik Huber, the driving force behind Terroir al Limit, came to wine through his passion for gastronomy. A fortuitous introduction to the family behind Mas Martinet led Domink to harvests in the Priorat and starting his own winery near the tiny village of Torroja. From the outset, the wines were different: fresh, expressive, light in color and in alcohol. At a time when most Priorats were stunningly powerful, these odd wines were at first appreciated by few. Year by year, the reputation of Terroir al Limit increased until Wine Advocate finally gave Les Manyes 2016 100 points: a new, fresh Priorat had taken the throne.

Today, Terroir al Limit makes many small-production wines, red and white. From the fresh, drinkable Terroir Històric wines to the ethereal single vineyard wines, Terroir al Limit’s wines might completely change anyone’s perception of what Priorat means. Though the reds may garner the most fame, the whites from Terroir al Limit are some of the region’s greatest wines. Terroir Sense Fronteres, the winery’s sister in Montsant, has also helped the neighboring region receive the attention it deserves. The side project of enologist Tatjana in Montsant has also made waves.

Ferrer Bobet Winery Visit

Ferrer Bobet’s first vintage didn’t hit the market until 2008, but this small winery near Porrera has firmly established itself as one of the Priorat’s elite producers. It is the perfect example of the new wave in Priorat–winemakers who arrived after the famous names of Gratallops had made their mark. Wine-loving businessman Ferrer and star winemaker Bobet teamed up to make world-class wines in the Priorat.

Everything about the winery, vineyards, and winemaking at Ferrer Bobet has been meticulously thought through. The modern-built winery blends into the landscape. Winemaking takes place by gravity. The tasting room on the top floor, featuring walls lined with wine books spanning many decades and languages, overlooks a stunning valley covered in steep terraced vineyards. From the moment you arrive, the seriousness of the project is palpable. But the careful work in the winery may be overshadowed by the importance of Ferrer Bobet’s vineyards. The plots that started it all are intensely sloped vineyards dotted with old vines of Cariñena and Garnacha. Ferrer Bobet has also invested in planting new vineyards around the winery on terraces, no easy feat in this part of the Priorat. Both young and old vines benefit from the high elevation and cooling winds that make Porrera a great place to make Priorats that retain freshness to counterbalance their potency.

Ferrer Bobet makes three wines that showcase terroir and respectful winemaking. Ferrer Bobet is made from the fruit of the winery’s young vines, but already shows the depth and freshness that characterize the house. It’s the only wine here that features international varieties, albeit in small amounts that allow Cariñena grown on slate to shine through. Vinyes Vellas is a savory, complex wine dominated by Cariñena with a bit of Garnacha, all sourced from very old vines. This “second wine” is already immense, delicious now but with the concentration and acidity to age for years. The last wine, Selecció Especial Vinyes Velles, fully immerses the palate in Cariñena and its great potential from the slate soils of Priorat. Vibrant acidity runs through the wine with power and finesse, perfectly balancing Priorat’s characteristic ripeness with the ephemerality of high-altitude wines. Selecció Especial is undoubtedly one of the Priorat’s greats, but any of Ferrer Bobet’s wines belong on a wine lover’s table and in their cellar.

Lunch at La Cooperativa

Located in the village of Porrera, La Cooperativa is a charming little restaurant. The cuisine is seasonal with a strong focus on local products, including produce from the owners’ garden. The preparation is impeccable, and the atmosphere friendly and relaxed. The place is popular with local winemakers, and the wine list doesn’t disappoint. You’ll find wines from the producers of Porrera and many of the other villages of the Priorat alongside interesting finds from further afield.

DAY 7

DEPARTURE

  • Private transfer to Barcelona for departure.

HOTEL

Priorat - 6 nights

Priorat hotel Mas d'en Bruno in Torroja

Mas d’en Bruno - Occupying a historic farmhouse in the countryside outside the village of Torroja, Mas d’en Bruno is a full-service luxury addition to Priorat’s hotel landscape. This Relais & Chateaux hotel has everything you need for an enjoyable stay in the Priorat. The rooms are new but maintain the building’s character. You’ll find a fine-dining restaurant, a cocktail bar, and a wine bar with a very complete selection of Priorat and other wines. This is a great place to taste the rare wines of Clos de l’Obac, as the family had a hand in the project. The spa and swimming pool are great places to recuperate while touring the Priorat. The hotel, surrounded by stunning landscapes, is a perfect base for Priorat exploration.

INCLUDED

  • 6 nights hotel, double occupancy

  • breakfast daily in the hotels

  • expert private guides

  • private premium tours and tastings at wineries

  • 6 lunches with wine

  • restaurant reservations and recommendations

  • private transfers to and from the Penedes and Priorat from Barcelona

  • private transport for all wine tours

  • full trip planning

  • in-country trip assistance and on-the-ground support

  • Epicurean Ways expertise

NOT INCLUDED

  • flights to/from Spain and flights within Spain

  • tips to guides and drivers (optional but appreciated)

  • travel insurance (recommended) Note that TravelSafe travel insurance can be arranged through Epicurean Ways

  • extra charges in hotels (minibar, room service, etc)

A note on winery visits, restaurant selections and hotels

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

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 included hotel options ranging from 5-star luxury properties to small boutique hotels. Let us know your preferences and we will tailor the hotel choices for you.

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 calculate and send you the price.