Tag Archive for: Wine tours Spain

For a wine lover, a wine tour of Spain & Portugal  is an easy way to experience the best wine regions of both countries. For us, the ideal Iberian wine route starts in Barcelona and ends in Porto or Lisbon. The cava cellars of Penedes and mythical reds of the Priorat wine region are highly accessible from Barcelona. Then from Priorat head to the source of Spanish red wine, the famous la Rioja. Just 3 hours away is the most exclusive wine region of Spain, Ribera del Duero, where the Tempranillo grape is king. From here, one crosses the border from Spain into Portugal, and enjoys the scenic beauty of the Douro Valley,  the most iconic wine region of Portugal. If you end your Spain & Portugal wine tour in Porto a visit to one of the many historic lodges along the Douro river with Port tastings is a must! Continuing to Lisbon, the undiscovered Vinho Verde and authentic rural Alentejo wine regions are mandatory stops.

For those wishing to experience the best of Spanish and Portuguese wine regions, we have carefully crafted our Wine Lovers Tour of Spain & Portugal. This 10 day wine tour covers the best regions of Spain & Portugal, the most interesting wineries and the most beautiful scenery.

Vinyes del celler Clos Figures, DOQ Priorat, darrera, el poble del Lloar, Gratallops, Priorat, Tarragona

Fly to Barcelona and start your wine trip in the Penedes Wine Region of Spain, famed as Cava country. Cava is a Spanish sparkling wine produced in the Traditional Method, just like Champagne. This Spanish bubbly was awarded it’s own D.O. (Wine Appellation) in 1986 and, although there are a few Spanish wine regions that produce Cava, the wine region of Penedes is the main area of production, over 90%. The Penedes wine region flagship grape variety is Xarel.lo making it the Penedes cava icon. Your visit to Penedes should include at least one of the spectacular modernist cava cellars as well as one of the emerging high- quality organic producers.

Your wine lovers tour continues to the Priorat Wine Region of Spain, where exceptional quality, red wines await you. These limited production reds are labelled DOC (Qualified Appellation of Origin) a denomination reserved to only Priorat and la Rioja. The Priorat wine region is famous for its mineral-rich soil and terraced hillsides of slate (called licorella by the locals), which create a unique humidity for the vines. Priorat wines blend the wine varietals of Garnacha and Cariñena and are substantial, inky wines of distinct character and reputation.

A not-to-be-missed stop is the Rioja Wine Region of Spain. Here we love to showcase the contrasts between historic and traditional wineries, some of them still making their own barrels and the sleek, modern cellars with amazing state-of -the-art wine-making techniques.  In the Rioja wine region there is a heavy use of oak for long ageing, which is the signature Rioja style, resulting in polished reds based mainly on Tempranillo but also Graciano and Garnacha blends. Bodegas Roda nave fermantación

Continuing west, you arrive to the Ribera del Duero Wine Region of Spain. Here you will taste the more modern, full-bodied and slightly more sophisticated single-vineyard wines at two of our favourite cellars. Part of Ribera del Duero wines’ uniqueness is due to Tinto Fino, the indigenous type of Tempranillo grape. The most mythical and inaccessible Spanish wineries are here, along the legendary Ribera del Duero Golden Mile and you will be lucky to visit one.

Crossing the border now you arrive to the beautiful Douro Valley wine region in Portugal, considered one the most spectacular wine regions of the world! Its characteristic terraced vineyards on the sloping hills meet the meandering river below. The in-vogue again Port wine is made here at various quintas (port wine cellars) along a narrow river gorge that winds 100 miles through the mountain ranges. Historically, Port wine was shipped downriver to the city of Porto for ageing, aboard sail-boats called Rabelos. Nowadays, the Douro Valley wine region of Portugal produces not only Port wines but also excellent reds mainly using the Touriga Nacional grape.

Douro Valley

 

Following the route of Port wine, as the grape juice once did from the Douro, you arrive to Porto and Vila Nova de Gaia, famous for the Port Wine Lodges of historic port wine producers. Port houses have aged their wines in Vila Nova de Gaia for over three centuries and here, the ageing and blending of most of the world’s supply of Port wine takes place beneath a sea of red roofs emblazoned with some of the most famous names in wine-making.

If your Spain & Portugal wine tour is 10 days only, Porto is the perfect finale for this unique wine trip!  Take advantage of our expertise and let us take you to the very best wine regions and wineries of Spain and Portugal. We will ensure for you the best winery visits and wine tastings with expert in-house guides,  hand selected hotels and you will e able to make the most of your wine tastings as your chauffeur takes the driving strain!

You may like to include other wine regions of Spain and Portugal in your private wine tour, for example the up and coming Vinho Verde in northern Portugal and the rural, quaint and very authentic Alentejo wine region, half way between Andalucia and Lisbon. Just let us know and we can happily custom build your perfect wine tour based on your preferences. If you are looking for an ideal for the best route, have a look at our sample itinerary  Wine Lovers Tour of Spain & Portugal . Contact us for pricing or to start custom building your perfect wine tour of Spain and Portugal!

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Spain, Portugal and SW France are three great Wine Producing Countries and home to some of the most famous names in the wine-making world. Big, complex wines with character, style and quality are just waiting to be tasted in Bordeaux, La Rioja, Priorat, Penedes, Ribera del Duero, Alentejo, Douro Valley

… and you can visit some (or all) of these fantastic wine regions of Spain, Portugal and SW France on a Private Luxury Wine Tour like our Wine Lovers Tour of Portugal, Spain & France

Spain, Portugal and SW France are just the ticket to visit top wine estates and meet vineyard owners and in-house experts who lovingly show you into their world – a big world at that!

Spain has many Wine Appellations known as “DO’s”, Denominaciones de Origen, but just two of them have been distinguished as “qualified”, meaning that their quality standards are a bit higher than the rest: DOC (Denominación de Origen Calificada) Rioja and DOQ (Denominació d’Origen Qualificada) Priorat. Aging is a very important aspect of Spanish wines so Spain has an aging classification system as well, meaning you will find Crianza, Reserva or Gran Reserva on the label too.

Portugal is divided into 14 Regional Wine areas: Vinho Verde, Trás-os-Montes, Porto and Douro, Távora-Varosa, Bairrada, Dão, Beira Interior, Lisboa, Tejo, Península de Setúbal, Alentejo, Algarve, Açores and Madeira. Portuguese wine is categorized using the ‘DOC’ (Denominação de Origem Controlada) system meaning Controlled Denomination of Origin. In the Douro there are separate DOCs for unfortified wine and for Port, although geographically they both lie within the same boundaries.

In France the appellation d’origine contrôlée “AOC” meaning “controlled designation of origin” sets the rules and today there are hundreds of AOC’s. In France there is a further classification system, existing mostly for Burgundy and Bordeaux, in which the quality of their AOC wines is further rated. In Bordeaux this is the Cru, also referred to as ‘growths’ of which there are five levels, attached to particular chateaux.

So you see there’s a lot going on behind that bottle of wine on your table, standards to adhere to and rules to follow.

Discover some of the best wine regions in Spain, Portugal and/or France on a Private Wine tour designed just for you – the wine enthusiast – and sip fine wine in the Mediterranean breeze, along the left bank of the Gironde or visit the vineyards and cellars of century’s old family owned wineries!

From Crasto Winery Barrels

Cheers to Missouri Wines for this great explanation for Understanding and Identifying Wine Aromas:

Put your new found wine knowledge to the test on one of our Private Food, Wine and Cultural Tours in Spain and/or Portugal. Visit top class wineries in great Spanish and Portuguese Wine Regions such as La Rioja, Priorat, Penedes or Emporda in Spain and Douro Valley or Alentejo in Portugal.

North American Wine specialist magazine “Wine Spectator “ has included 8 Spanish Wines in their annual Top 100 Wines of the World List for 2014.

Wine Regions of Spain included in the Top 100 list include La Rioja, Ribera del Duero, Bierzo, Castilla La Mancha and a fortified wine from Andalusia:

  • Viña Ardanza Reserva 2005 (34th place)
  • Abadía Retuerta Viño de la Tierra de Castilla y León Sardon de Duero Selección Especial 2010 (50th place)
  • Viña Cumbrero Crianza 2010 (62nd place)
  • Cune Monopole Blanco 2014 (64th place)
  • Godelia Mencía 2010 (68th place)
  • Cabernet Sauvignon Dominio de Valdepusa 2010 (79th place)
  • Bodegas Marqués de Murrieta Rioja Castillo Ygay Gran Reserva Especial 2005 (84th place)
  • Antonio Barbadillo Manzanilla Sanlúcar (95th place)

 

Since 1988, each year, Wine Spectator magazine editors study the wines that have been reviewed over the previous 12 months and select their Top 100 Wines of the World list. This year, 8 Spanish Wines are included in the list. All the wines are classified on a scale from 85 to 100 points (pts) based on quality, value, availability and excitement. This annual list acknowledges successful wineries, wine regions and vintages from all around the world.

If you love Wine you can’t miss the Wine Regions of Spain! Join us on a Private Wine Tour of Spain like our Wine Lovers Tour of Spain and Portugal to explore the Ribera del Duero, La Rioja, Priorat and Penedes Wine Regions of Spain and enjoy expert  guided visits to some fantastic wineries and taste some great Spanish Wine.

TOP 100 WINES FULL LIST :

Here’s the complete Top 100 Wines of the World list, 2014, according to Wine Spectator Magazine, with their corresponding punctuation (Pts). The 8 Spanish Wines selected feature in bold text:

# Wine Vtge Pts
1 Dow’s Vintage Port 2011 99
2 Mollydooker Shiraz McLaren Vale Carnival of Love 2012 95
3 Prats & Symington Douro Chryseia 2011 97
4 Quinta do Vale Meão Douro 2011 97
5 Leeuwin Chardonnay Margaret River Art Series 2011 96
6 Castello di Ama Chianti Classico San Lorenzo Gran Selezione 2010 95
7 Clos des Papes Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2012 97
8 Brewer-Clifton Pinot Noir Sta. Rita Hills 2012 94
9 Concha y Toro Cabernet Sauvignon Puente Alto Don Melchor 2010 95
10 Château Léoville Las Cases St.-Julien 2011 95
11 Mount Eden Vineyards Chardonnay Santa Cruz Mountains 2011 95
12 Château Guiraud Sauternes 2011 97
13 Fonseca Vintage Port 2011 98
14 Fontodi Colli della Toscana Centrale Flaccianello 2011 95
15 Bedrock The Bedrock Heritage Sonoma Valley 2012 95
16 Two Hands Shiraz Barossa Valley Bella’s Garden 2012 95
17 Soter Pinot Noir Yamhill-Carlton District Mineral Springs Ranch 2012 95
18 Château Doisy-Védrines Barsac 2011 95
19 Luca Malbec Uco Valley 2012 93
20 Peter Michael Chardonnay Knights Valley Ma Belle-Fille 2012 95
21 Castello di Volpaia Chianti Classico Riserva 2010 93
22 Podere Sapaio Bolgheri Volpolo 2011 93
23 St.-Cosme Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2010 96
24 Massolino Barolo 2009 95
25 Bodegas y Viñedos O. Fournier Malbec Uco Valley Alfa Crux 2010 94
26 Emeritus Pinot Noir Russian River Valley Hallberg Ranch 2011 93
27 Quinta do Portal Douro Colheita 2011 92
28 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2011 94
29 Hamilton Russell Pinot Noir Hemel-en-Aarde Valley 2012 93
30 DuMOL Syrah Russian River Valley 2012 94
31 Tommasi Sangiovese-Cabernet Sauvignon Toscana Poggio al Tufo Rompicollo 2011 92
32 Hidden Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon Sonoma County 55% Slope 2009 93
33 Orin Swift Machete California 2012 93
34 La Rioja Alta Rioja Viña Ardanza Reserva 2005 92
35 Amavi Cabernet Sauvignon Walla Walla Valley 2011 92
36 Marcassin Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast Marcassin Vineyard 2009 97
37 Giuseppe Cortese Barbaresco Rabajà 2010 94
38 Aubert Chardonnay Russian River Valley Eastside 2012 95
39 Oddero Barolo 2010 93
40 Loosen Bros. Riesling QbA Mosel Dr. L 2012 91
41 Rombauer Chardonnay Carneros 2012 92
42 Lapostolle Clos Apalta Limited Release Colchagua Valley 2010 94
43 Charles Smith Riesling Columbia Valley Kung Fu Girl Evergreen 2013 91
44 Viña Cono Sur Cabernet Sauvignon-Carmenère Colchagua Valley 2011 91
45 Tikal Patriota Mendoza 2012 91
46 Turley Zinfandel California Juvenile 2012 91
47 Luce della Vite Toscana Luce 2011 95
48 Fincas Patagonicas Malbec Mendoza Zolo Reserve 2012 91
49 Trimbach Riesling Alsace 2012 91
50 Abadia Retuerta Viño de la Tierra de Castilla y León Sardon de Duero Selección Especial   2010 92
51 Giuseppe Rinaldi Barolo Brunate 2010 97
52 Herman Story Grenache California On the Road 2011 93
53 Ponzi Pinot Noir Willamette Valley Tavola 2012 91
54 Mumm Napa Brut Napa Valley Prestige NV 91
55 Veramonte Cabernet Sauvignon Colchagua Valley El Caballero 2011 90
56 João Portugal Ramos Alentejo Ramos Reserva 2012 90
57 Viña Bisquertt Syrah Colchagua Valley La Joya Gran Reserva 2012 90
58 TwentyFour Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2010 93
59 Peter Lehmann Clancy’s Barossa 2011 90
60 St.-Urbans-Hof Riesling QbA Mosel Old Vines 2012 90
61 De Martino Cabernet Sauvignon Maipo Valley Legado Reserva 2011 92
62 Bodegas Montecillo Rioja Viña Cumbrero Crianza   2010 90
63 Buitenverwachting Sauvignon Blanc Constantia Bayten 2013 90
64 Cune Rioja White Monopole   2013 90
65 Ornellaia Bolgheri Superiore 2011 96
66 Fowles Shiraz Victoria Are You Game? 2012 91
67 Tohu Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough Single Vineyard 2013 90
68 Godelia Mencía Bierzo   2010 92
69 Feudo di Santa Croce Primitivo di Manduria LXXIV 2010 91
70 D. Kourtakis Assyrtiko Santorini Greek Wine Cellars 2012 90
71 Roar Pinot Noir Santa Lucia Highlands Rosella’s Vineyard 2012 93
72 Château Lilian Ladouys St.-Estèphe 2011 90
73 Gérard Bertrand Syrah-Grenache Languedoc 2011 90
74 di Majo Norante Molise Ramitello 2011 90
75 Disznókó´ Tokaji Aszú 5 Puttonyos 2006 94
76 Vietti Barbera d’Asti Tre Vigne 2012 90
77 E. Guigal Côte-Rôtie Château d’Ampuis 2010 97
78 Acrobat Pinot Noir Oregon 2012 90
79 Marqués de Griñon Cabernet Sauvignon Dominio de Valdepusa   2010 93
80 Nino Negri Valtellina Superiore Quadrio 2010 90
81 Domaine de Triennes Vin de Pays du Var St.-Auguste 2010 90
82 Mulderbosch Faithful Hound Stellenbosch 2011 91
83 Round Pond Estate Sauvignon Blanc Rutherford 2013 90
84 Bodegas Marqués de Murrieta Rioja Castillo Ygay Gran Reserva Especial   2005 94
85 Masciarelli Montepulciano d’Abruzzo Marina Cveti S. Martino Rosso 2010 91
86 Pali Wine Co. Pinot Noir Santa Barbara County Huntington 2012 90
87 Firriato Sicilia Santagostino Baglio Soria Red 2011 91
88 Christian Moreau Père & Fils Chablis 2012 91
89 Carol Shelton Zinfandel Mendocino County Wild Thing Old Vine 2011 90
90 Domäne Wachau Grüner Veltliner Federspiel Trocken Wachau Terrassen 2012 90
91 Domaine La Barroche Châteauneuf-du-Pape Pure 2012 95
92 Vecchia Cantina di Montepulciano Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Incanto 2010 90
93 Recanati Cabernet Sauvignon Galilee 2012 90
94 Château Lamartine Cahors 2011 90
95 Antonio Barbadillo Manzanilla Sanlúcar de Barrameda Solear   NV 90
96 Domaine Gerovassiliou Epanomi White 2013 90
97 Tenuta delle Terre Nere Etna 2012 90
98 Domaine Terlato & Chapoutier Shiraz-Viognier Victoria 2012 90
99 Loimer Grüner Veltliner Qualitätswein Trocken Kamptal 2012 91
100 Saint Clair Pinot Noir Marlborough Pioneer Block 16 Awatere 2012 92

grape harvest and stomping tour in Spain

Grape stomping fun:  Kick off your shoes and get ready for an unforgettable experience

The idyllic perception of a winery visit is a tour of a vineyard followed by a tasting of their respective wines.  Everyone knows this; so, at Gourmand Breaks as we are always on the lookout for a bit of extra special, we added some hands on action and some good food and “voila” a Harvest, Stomping Winery Day was born – enjoy this innovative experience in early Fall on one of our Private Wine Tours

What is it?  

Grape-stomping, also known as pigeage, a French winemaking term for the traditional stomping of the grapes, is part of a method of maceration used in traditional winemaking.  Rather than using a wine press or other mechanized method, grapes are crushed by foot in opPurple feeten vats to release their juices and begin fermentation.  However, to make certain types of wine, grapes are put through a crusher and then poured into open fermentation tanks.
Once fermentation begins, the grape skins are pushed to the surface by carbon dioxide gases released in the fermentation process.  The grapes and stems are mashed together, releasing not only the juice from the grapes, but also the phenols and tannins that provide color and acidity. This layer of skins and other solids is known as the cap. As the skins are the source of the tannins, the cap needs to be mixed through the liquid each day, or “punched,” which traditionally is done by stomping through the vat.  Pigeage, literally means “punching down the cap,” and describes the pushing down of the grape skins that float to the surface of the fermentation vats, forming the “cap.”

A little bit of history:

Grape stomping probably goes back to the very beginnings of winemaking.  Historical evidence shows that grapes were stomped at least as far back as Rome in 200 BC. One of the earliest existing visual representations of the practice appears on a Roman sarcophagus which depicts a group of demigods harvesting and stomping grapes at a rural Roman festival.

For centuries grapes were picked by hand and grape stomping was the universal method used to extract the juice to make wine. In America, most grape stomping by human feet was legislated out of existence by the end of the twentieth century, the concern for public health outweighing tradition. Most other countries eventually banned grape stomping too, but there are still places where you can stomp grapes.

What you can expect: A day in pictures

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Fantastic vineyard settings provide the perfect setting for a private harvesting and stomping tour

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Harvesting the grapes.
The berry bunches grow at the bottom of the vine, dry ones are discarded and green ones are left to ripen

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As the harvester transfers overflowing buckets into the vat, the next step is the stomp

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A hop, a skip or a jump…….a stomping we will go.

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Everything from the vat gets transferred into the Wine Press

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The lower the the press churns the more liquid flows

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The grape juice then transfers into the fermentation tanks where it will continue on its journey to become wine

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Depending on the intention of the winemaker the wine may be fermented in oak barrels

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After an exciting day at the vineyard and after gaining a deeper understanding of the process now a chance to sit back and truly appreciate an example of the finished products. Cheers!

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A group of ladies who recently enjoyed one of our stomptastic private harvest tours

 

For more information on this or any of our private wine tours please do not hesitate to contact us !

This innovative experience can be included in our longer private tours such as the Wine Connoisseur Tour of Spain or The Best of Spain & France Grand Private Wine Tour

Please note that grape harvesting, and subsequently stomping, is only available during the appropriate grape harvesting season of each vineyard.  In Spain the focus will be in the months of September/October.