Rioja in Northwest Spain, just south of the Basque Country, is a most beautiful wine region with beguiling landscapes. It is probably Spain’s most famous wine region. The region has a centuries-old tradition of winemaking. With the arrival of French merchants in the late 19th century, Rioja’s name really took off, as the area gained expertise from Bordelaise winemakers, including their use of small oak barrels.

The region is divided into 3 vine-growing areas, all producing rather different wines. The region is a plentiful source of polished red wines, famed for its age-worthy quality. Rioja’s crianza, reserva, and gran reserva wines offer plenty of great options to match the local food.

Modernity has arrived too, and more and more winemakers focus on wines from single vineyards. Some of these estate vineyards are organically farmed following biodynamic principles, producing artisanal wines, sometimes even orange wines.

The countryside is captivating, dotted with charming medieval towns and punctuated by wine bodegas – some of them extraordinary and often designed by star-architects. High mountains offer a dramatic backdrop. Local gastronomy can be both simple as well as refined, but the food is often delicious.

The expansive Castilla y León province, north of Madrid, is considered the heartland of Spain. During the 15th century, the rulers of Castilla y León were the driving force for the unification with other regions, as a result Spain was created as a single political entity.

Castilla y León lies on a plateau accentuated by forested hills, at 700-1000m above sea level. It’s surrounded by high mountains in the north, with the lower land given over to growing wheat, olives, and grapes. Here, along the Duero river, one finds top wine regions like Rueda, Ribera del Arlanza and Ribera del Duero. Ribera del Duero is considered one of the world’s classic red wine regions. The Duero River runs across Castilla y León and continues into Portugal, where it is called Douro.

Castilla is named for its huge number of castles, often close to the Duero River. There are magnificent historic cities like Valladolid and Burgos – both former capital cities – as well as Leon, Zamora, and Segovia. There is a wealth of notable small towns like Penafiel and Tordesillas. These places are rich in art and architecture, reminding us of the glory days of old Castile.

The regional Castilian cuisine relies firmly on roasted meats. The main roles here are for suckling pig, and lamb. Cured hams, spicy sausages, and a diverse set of cheese varieties are excellent. Classic eateries offer rustic breads, bean dishes, and hearty soups or stews given extra flavor by local cured meats. There is innovation too, with modern chefs giving traditional recipes a new twist. Always there are good wines; we are in prime wine country here.

Leaving Rioja, towards the south towards Ribera del Arlanza and Ribera del Duero, you will drive through bucolic landscapes across the heartland of Spain in old Castile. Here the region is dotted with numerous monasteries and historic small towns. Then the grand medieval city of Burgos emerges, quite unexpectedly.

We feel Burgos is a delightful place. This was the capital of old Castile for centuries, its splendid city full of monuments. The city centre is dominated by a most extraordinary cathedral, and the old town around it is utterly charming. One can see this was a prosperous city at the time, but where did the prosperity come from? During the 15th and 16th century, Burgos developed into an important business centre, controlling the monopoly of the Castilian wool trade. Much of the wealth of that period financed the great art and architecture still visible around the city today.

In the medieval town, you will find plenty of streets with charming shops, lively squares, alluring esplanades, and coffee bars. The restaurant scene has over the last decade gained a new drive – internationally-minded young local chefs are cooking up a storm.

Ribera del Arlanza is a relatively newly minted wine region, Denominación de Origen Protegida (DOP), in the Castilla y Leon region. It is located south of the majestic city of Burgos in northern Spain, north of the more famous Ribera del Duero wine which you will also explore during this tour.
Most vineyards here lie at an altitude ranging from 750-1200 meters above sea level. The highest vineyards here deliver elegant wines with structure, freshness, and intensity.

In the ancient lands of Arlanza, wine has been made for centuries, like in the charming and most original town of Baltanas. A recent new wave of bodegas has arrived too, making powerful Tempranillo red wines and fresh but aromatic whites made with Albillo and Viura.

Ribera del Duero is Spain’s most renowned wine region, together with Rioja. The high quality of the predominantly red wines the region produces has been widely recognized internationally.

Ribera del Duero has an enviable reputation as a producer of extraordinary red wines, the best wines being powerful, complex, and suave at the same time. The diversity of soils and altitudes of this region provides a wide array of characters to the local wines. Usually, wines here have great aging potential. Wine has been made here since Roman times, peaking in the late Middle Ages when Monastic orders dominated viticulture. Monasteries provided accommodation and food and drink to pilgrims on the way to Santiago de Compostela. Today, just like in the past, Tempranillo is the predominant grape variety, known locally as Tinta del Pais. The most common white grape variety is the Albillo Mayor, and Albillo monovarietal wines are getting increased attention.

Few food and wine pairings can top a delicious Ribera del Duero red and the local signature dish: suckling lamb. The origins of the dining on lamb tradition can be traced back to the 12th century when Jewish people, escaping the Moorish occupation down South, fled north to the Christian kingdoms. With them came the Passover lamb that, following Jewish traditions, is still eaten at local restaurants with a salad.

Segovia, just south of Ribera del Duero, is one of the most alluring cities in all of Spain. We feel it’s a real gem, jam-packed with charming medieval streets. The setting against mountain peaks is quite stunning. The elegant late Gothic cathedral, almost Renaissance in its use of internal space, is quite something, as is the most unusual Alcazar. This was a town with an important Jewish community; many historic buildings in the town are a testament to that heritage.

Then, outside the city walls, another grand delight: the sumptuous La Granja palace, built by the first Bourbon king of French descent, surrounded by magnificent gardens and mountains. Versailles, eat your heart out. Finally, the town is famous for its rustic Castilian cuisine, served with excellent Ribera Del Duero wines.

Madrid, the capital of Spain, is a beautiful, sophisticated, and diverse city. It has grand avenues as well as narrow cobbled streets. There are smart rooftop bars adjacent to old-fashioned tapas bars. The different neighbourhoods are colourful and feel intimate and genteel. The oldest part of the city, Los Austrias, named after the Habsburg kings with their Austrian roots, is atmospheric and well-preserved. Other neighbourhoods of central Madrid, like Salamanca, Chueca, and La Latina, stand out for their old-world charm. Wandering the city’s streets, especially these older quarters, is a guaranteed encounter with interesting places, bars, shops, and galleries. As the city is compact, the centre is perfect for discovering on foot.

Madrid is also a great place to eat. The sheer number of good restaurants, gastro bars, tapas bars, and food markets is bewildering. In stylish modern restaurants, classic dishes such as roast suckling pig with almonds, squid in its own ink with rice, quails cooked with chickpeas, and smoked red peppers are successfully reinterpreted. The traditional eating houses that offer a comforting menu without modernity remain.

This is also a major arts city: the golden triangle of major museums (the Prado, Thyssen, and Reina Sofia) has been made into a golden square with the addition of CaixaForum Madrid, a former power plant converted into a spectacular contemporary arts center designed by Herzog & de Meuron. The Matadero, an outpost for contemporary art set in a compound of arched neo-Moorish pavilions of a former slaughterhouse, represents another highlight of vibrant Madrid.