Rioja DO is the oldest and most famous of all the wine regions in Spain. It is located in the political region of La Rioja. We spent an entire day exploring the area. Too bad we did not have a week to spend here; it is such an interesting spot with so much to see. With the Iberian mountain range as the backdrop and the River Ebro meandering on the valley floor though beautiful vineyards, the vistas are stunning, Each small country road we travel leads to small La Rioja towns surrounded by vineyards and Bodegas. Most of the Bodegas we pass are very old, many built in the 19th century. But then, some are very new and modern ones like the two wineries we visit, the Bodegas Marques de Riscal and the Bodegas Ysios.
The Wine Traveler in Madrid
At last, we have met up with our friends. Miraculously, we have managed to drive our car in Madrid and find the apartment we have rented in the center of the city. We have rented a three-room apartment on Calle de Estudios from an agency called Friendly Rentals. One of their reps meets us at the apartment to show us the place and give us the keys. The location is fantastic. The Plaza Mayor is about 5-minutes walking distance. There are tons of stores for shopping, restaurants, tapas, and wine bars within easy walking distance. The only glitch is the car. We have to park the car in the underground parking lot conveniently located nearby, but the cost is 25 Euros per day. Ouch!
The Wine Traveler in Ribera Del Duero
We traveled south on the A6 towards Madrid and stopped in Tordesillas and stayed at the same Parador we had lodged in on the way up to Galicia. This little town is centrally located among three wine regions, Toro, Rueda, and Ribera del Duero. The Parador is very comfortable and has all the services we need.
Today, we set out to the Ribera del Duero wine district, one of the oldest and most famous of the wine districts in Spain. The most easily accessible bodegas are located on what is known as the Spanish Golden Mile, Highway N-122. We headed from Tordesillas towards Valladolid and followed the signs toward Peñafiel, a small town about 40 minutes from Valladolid. All the wineries in this region require an appointment if you want to visit, tour or taste. Some have a fee while others do not. If the winery has a tienda (store) you can visit and buy wine without an appointment.
The vines look beautiful and are almost ready for harvest. The grape of the Ribera del Duero is Tinto Fino, a type of Tempranillo grape. The wine is lush and rich, a bit stronger than wines from La Rioja.
The first bodega we spot is Bodega Abadia Retuerta. This winery has recently received raved reviews from the wine critics for their outstanding lineup of wines. The tienda was open so we meandered in and browsed the shop. We purchased a bottle of the Rivola 2004 Crianza for 8 Euros. Interestingly, the wineries sell to anyone for about the same amount they sell to a distributor. The bodega is where to get the best deal on Spanish wine. We also decided to buy an Abadia Retuerta logo shirt for each of us.
Later, we explored the wine town of Peñafiel, and found it to be rather ordinary and not much to do with wine except for the wine museum. Unfortunately, we are there on a Monday, and that is the only day of the week the museum is closed.
We headed back and stopped at one of the larger bodegas in the Ribera Del Duero, the Arzuaga Navarro Winery. This bodega has a hotel and fancy restaurant. We stopped and had a delicious lunch along with a fantastic half bottle of Arzuaga 2004 Crianza. What a delicious wine.
Tomorrow it is off to Madrid to meet up with our friends who will be traveling with us in Spain for the next two weeks.
The Wine Traveler Visits Adegas Valminor – Albariño Wine
We had made an appointment for a tour and tasting at the Adegas Valminor, a winery in the wine region of Rias Baixas. The Bodega is located in a very small town called O Rosal located almost at the border of Portugal. The reason I chose to visit this winery is because this Albariño wine has been one of my favorites. My local wine shop sells Valminor at a great price of $12.99. The possibility of visiting this winery was mentioned on a list of wineries I was given at the tourist office in Santiago De Copostela. The Concierge at our hotel called and made the arrangements so we could visit the following day.
Wine Traveler in Pontevedra, Spain – Albariño Wine, Rias Baixas
Pontevedra is one of the main towns in the area of Galicia known as Rias Baixas. The name has to do with water inlets on the coastline, Baixas in this case meaning the lower inlets of water. In Pontevedra, we are lodging at Parador Casa Del Baron, which served at one time as a palace for visiting royalty. It is in the old city center. Getting here took much longer than expected, even though it is a short drive from Santiago De Compostela. Once we got to the city center with Google Maps in hand, we drove around in circles for at least a very frustrating 45 minutes. The old parts of these medieval towns were certainly not meant for cars. It is common to find cars or trucks parked where they should not be, streets that suddenly become one way at the next intersection, and other crazy surprises. We saw the signs for the Parador but we just could not get there. Fortunately, the Spaniards are very helpful to tourists.
We must tell you this story of an elderly lady that came to our rescue. I spotted her returning from her morning shopping at the market. I asked her for directions. She went on to a long description of how to get to the Parador, also telling us to consider less expensive hotels in Pontevedra. After some discussion, she determined it would be too difficult for us to find the Parador, so she hopped into the back seat of our car, with her small dog, and insisted she lead us to the Parador provided I drive her back, of course. Thank goodness; I know we would have eventually found our way but in how long a time? What a heartwarming act of kindness and trust!
Our reason for choosing to stay in Pontevedra was to visit the coastal waters and towns of the area and to visit some Bodegas in the wine D.O. of Rias Baixas. Pontevedra is an easy driving distance to these locations. Tomorrow we plan to visit one of these Bodegas, Adegas Valminor. Adegas, not to be confusing, is the Galician word for Bodega.
The Wine Traveler in Santiago De Compostela
We are in the city of Santiago De Compostela, in the region of Galicia, sometimes called Green Spain. It is directly north of Portugal, very near the Atlantic Ocean. It is one of the major cities in Spain and a very popular tourist attraction year round. We are in the city of Santiago De Compostela, in the region of Galicia, sometimes called Green Spain. It is directly north of Portugal, very near the Atlantic Ocean. It is one of the major cities in Spain and a very popular tourist attraction year round.
Wine Traveler in Astorga and Ponferrada
We drove north on the A6, one of the main routes to Santiago De Compostela in Galicia. We stopped for lunch in the charming town of Astorga. As in the case of most very old cities in Spain, they are divided into the old section, El Centro, and the newer residential areas, and finally the industrial areas. We always follow the signs for the old section of town.
The Wine Traveler Visits Bodegas Dos Victorias
While staying in the wine region of Toro, we set out to see if we could visit a Bodega (winery). In Spain, you just can’t drive up to a winery and find a lavish tasting room as you would in the Napa Valley. You have to call a day or two ahead and make an appointment. With the help of the hotel clerk we started calling wineries from our Spanish wine guide and got lucky on the third try. Dos Victorias, a winery about 20 km away from Tordesillas said we could visit.
In the Toro D.O. there are 55 wineries, most of them clustered around the town of Toro. If you think California has a wine boom, get this: Ten years ago in Toro there were 15 wineries, today there are 55.
The Wine Traveler in Tordesillas, Spain – Toro Wine
So what brought us to this small town of Tordesillas? Well, many things, one being that it is not a tourist town. Rick Steves doesn’t even mention it in his Spain guidebook. We wanted to experience a small-town Spanish atmosphere. We also wanted a short drive and a chance to recoup from our Salamanca party atmosphere. Tordesillas is only 80 kilometers from Salamanca. Another draw to this town is the modern Parador where we found a room. This parador is first class, very tastefully decorated, and there are many Spaniards staying here. This Parador has everything you need for comfort. The rooms are great, there is a workout room, enormous piscina (swimming pool), sauna, and several other amenities. This is also wine country, the D.O. of Toro. and there are many wineries in the area, mostly between the town of Toro and Zamora.
The Wine Traveler in Salamanca, Spain
We are here for two nights, staying at the Salamanca Hotel de Mercado, one block from the Plaza Mayor, the Plaza that Rick Steves says is the best Plaza in Spain. The Plaza Mayor is the center of activity in Salamanca.