A popular saying says that classes of came There are only two: good wine and the best wine. Now there are so many wine tourism experiences in Spain, that we are not going to have it easy at all when choosing between these plans that experts have designed to please the hedonist that we all carry inside, it will not be that easy.
Because now, in addition to the aftertaste of tannins, we need the good taste in the mouth to be accompanied by activities that invite us to travel, share, learn, dream...
The Griffin Museum.
MORE THAN A WINERY, A MUSEUM
"There are many wineries with a wine tourism offer in Spain, but none with a museum that treasures more than 500 unique pieces", boasts The Griffin. And the fact is that the history of the oldest winery in Lanzarote –and in the entire Canary Islands– dates back to 1775, which is why we will have the opportunity to discover an extensive catalog of objects preserved since its foundation until the middle of the 20th century. There is small machinery, tools used in the vineyard and in winemaking and, most importantly, the old winery intact thanks to the intervention, in its day, of the great Cesar Manrique.
It is invaluable his library, made up of 5,000 volumes –dedicated to wine, agriculture and the Canary Islands–, inaugurated by José Hierro and confirmed by José Saramago in 2014. But it is even more so to discover the fundamental role that women have always had in running a winery that has been able to brave the elements in La Geria to produce wines uninterruptedly for almost 250 years.
Chamomile Museum.
A WALK THROUGH HERITAGE
Going into the hundred-year-old Bodegas Barbadillo is doing it in a wine culture so rooted in the territory like the vines that give rise to the wines of the Marco de Jerez.
and visit your Manzanilla Museum, the only one in the world dedicated to this wine, is to make a tour through wineries cataloged as Historical Heritage of Sanlúcar, while letting ourselves be surprised by first-generation tractors, destination plates that recognize the exporting vocation of the region, documentary videos that show the behavior of the veil of yeasts and historical documents as unique as the one in which the word Manzanilla is mentioned for the first time on a shipment of wine to Philadelphia in 1827.
A winemaker in action.
WINEMAKER FOR A DAY
It is no coincidence that Bodega Otazu was recognized last year as Best winery open to tourism by ACEVIN (Wine Route of Spain), since it is its desire to differentiate itself from the rest, it has devised experiences as peculiar as Otazu Private Cellar, an activity that consists of creating a 225 liter barrel, of a unique blend of red wine, with a personalized label.
The Navarra winery's technical team will be in charge of explain the characteristics of each variety –both in origin and in qualities provided in the assembly– when designing the barrel to our liking, which is then It will remain guarded in its Wine Cathedral throughout the aging process until it is bottled. The result? 300 bottles that we will receive in our house accompanied by the pride that comes from having been able to be winemakers for a day
Picnic at Bodega Bela.
FOOD WITH A VIEW
The harvest reception area, the pressing area, the filtering area, the destemmer, the tanks... Who more or less has ever visited a winery and has witnessed each and every one of the processes necessary for grapes to become wine. For this reason, when deciding (and never better said) for a new visit, it is preferable to do it by one that has something else to give us.
In the specific case of Bodega Bela, located in Villalba de Duero, it is a traditional seasonal menu paired with its best artisanal wines (remember that we are in full DO Ribera de Duero). Black pudding from Aranda, lentils with duck, marinated salad, stewed potatoes with cod... These are just some of the dishes that we will be able to taste in its new dining room, with incredible views of the barrel room.
Work by Pablo Palazuelo in the CVNE winery.
VISIT WITH A LOT OF ART
“Every act of true creation involves a transgression. Reverie of matter, the metals come from the bowels of the mine, they concentrate veins, ancient distillations, they are tempered to red hot and tend to gold. The alchemists searched inside the earth, and devoid of bargain, they gave light to their secrets. Something very similar is what I intend to do with metals", multidisciplinary artist Pablo Palazuelo (1915-2007) said in his day. A statement that has inspired the exposition reverie of matter that we can admire in the CVNE winery until the end of the year.
Dedicated to the works of this great master of geometric abstraction of the 20th century, the exhibition –which will populate the interior and exterior spaces of the centenary winery, located in the very heart of Haro– includes a total of 12 oversized sculptures (made of corten steel) and 20 large format canvases painted by the artist in oil from the 70s until his death in 2007.
Garden of Finca La Emperatriz.
IN THE GARDEN OF A QUEEN
Walk among the vineyards of a farm that belonged to Eugenia de Montijo, wife of Napoleon III and empress of France, it is already an incomparable experience, but it is even more so – at the end of the walk – sitting down to taste some wines in a beautiful garden with views of the Sierra de la Demanda and San Lorenzo. This is what Finca la Emperatriz proposes, where we can also sleep at the foot of the vineyard in one of its unique villas, if we extend the day in your WineBar.
Swimming pool at the Posada Real.
WEEKEND PLAN
Going to bed with History (in capital letters) is what we can do if we choose Pradorey's great weekend plan. And why do we say this? Because, in addition to discover its cellar while we learn about artisan elaborations, visit El Cotarro (a neighborhood of old wineries located in Moradillo de Roa) or try traditional dishes such as suckling lamb, we will sleep in one of the 18 rooms of its Posada Real, a mansion in the Herrerian style – built in the window by the Duke of Lerma in 1601– which in the 17th century welcomed illustrious personalities like King Felipe III, Lope de Vega or Rubens.
Bottles and glasses of wine on a table.
ENOEXPERIENCE (WITH SURPRISE) AT HOME
“We seek take the nonsense out of the world of wine and present it for what it is, and as what we all understand: a wonderful way to have fun." says María Martínez, co-founder of Descorchify, a monthly subscription (€29.90/month) that plays with the surprise effect. And which one is that? Receive at home three bottles of wine every month break out of the usual establishment.
In this way, " always with humor and without technicalities –in the words of the entrepreneur– we will be able to discover that not everything is Rioja or Ribera; Reserva or Crianza (also)”. why is this surprise selection of three bottles (whose cost separately will always be higher than the price of the box) will include wines “made by people who we think are worth it”. To which we add: to enjoy with ditto.