Wine tasting tour in Ribera del Duero: day tour itinerary highlights
Most travelers to Spain always tend to gravitate to the same beaches and cities. The better-known spots to visit in Spain are amazing, no denying it, but, especially for wine lovers, the Ribera del Duero wine region should not be overlooked.
“Ribera del Duero”, means Duero’s riverside as the vineyards follow the course of the river. The Duero River is a very important landmark in the Iberian Peninsula. It has always been an important commercial rout and parts of it served as a natural border between Spain and Portugal. Moreover, as with many rivers in Spain, they served as landmarks for the Spanish Reconquista (which took no less than 7 centuries from North to South and ended in 1492) This is why its “coast” is lined with castles and monasteries. It is also the life source of many different wine regions, some of which in particular enjoy worldwide fame: as we have mentioned, Ribera de Duero, Porto in Portugal, famous for its fortified port wines, Arribers del Duero (between Spain and Portugal in the fantastic setting of the Natural park with the same name) Toro with robust red wines perfect for aging and Rueda, renowned for its white wine production.
This article is an overview Ribera del Duero day tour from Madrid, going over the highlights of the trip.
Ribera del Duero is an absolute must for any wine lover visiting Spain. Considered second only to the Rioja wine region it features some of the best and highly regarded wineries in the country. If to this you add the amazing food, history and scenery of the region you can understand why Ribera is an area of Spain that you just have to experience.
Ribera is Featured so prominently on our website, obviously because of the amazing wine, but also because Ribera has so much to offer visitors. The region is filled with castles, quaint little towns, bustling historic cities, amazing places to eat, romantic secluded spots, etc. It comes as a surprise the region isn’t more well known. If you just want to go on a day trip and you are Madrid to enjoy the food and wine, etc. there is so much to do and see in Ribera.
We offer daily tours to Ribera del Duero. At the moment we write this post we offer 3 different tours.
The first of these tours runs as a very small group of up to 7 people which can be booked also as private if a customer wished .
A second tour is designed to enjoy time in the amazing, Unesco heritage site of Segovia. Segovia is famous for its roman aqueduct, cathedral or alcazar. This tour is only offered as a private tour.
A third tour stops also in Segovia, though shorter, and focuses on experiences that could be considered a bit more luxurious than in the other 2 tours (though we believe all 3 tours are an authentic and luxury experience)
* DISCLAIMER: What follows is a typical itinerary for our group tour but the stops may vary due to the season, schedule, etc. to see the exact itinerary check the product description or just get in touch.
The tour starts wherever you are. Our guide will pick you up in a luxury minivan wherever you are staying in Madrid, so all you have to do is roll out of bed, sit back and relax.
Ribera del Duero is located in the province of Castilla y Leon, basically directly north of Madrid. It takes about 2 hours to get there by car and you will drive through some of the most beautiful landscapes in Spain, crossing the Sistema Central mountain range. On your way your guide will give you an overview of wine making in Spain and why Ribera is considered to one of Spain’s top wine regions. It also an opportunity to learn a bit about the history of Spain.
The tour is designed to highlight the diversity and versatility of Ribera, its wines and the wineries responsible for them:
The first stop on the tour will be at a very special and very old winery. Located half way up a small mountain the winery has a spectacular network of century old tunnels that dive over 30 meters deep into the mountain, creating the perfect environment in which to make wine. The walls are lined with ancient oak barrels developing some of the best wine in the region in their insides, and you can see on the walls of the tunnels themselves the marks of the hammers and chisels from when the tunnels were dug out by hand. A truly spectacular experience.
From here it’s off to the second winery, and we go from tradition to modernity. The second winery is chosen to highlight the modern face of Ribera. The Ribera del Duero appellation is, surprisingly, a very young appellation. It was established in 1975 after a few wineries from the region shook up the industry with their excellent wines. Because of this Ribera has a good amount of newer, more modern wineries that have blossomed in recent years. Ribera has a wonderful blend of the new and the old.
The last stop we highlight a winery that blends the old and the new like only a winery in Ribera can. The main building is built in the style of a French Chateau. The estate and vineyards transport you back to the 1500´s, the winery however uses cutting edge techniques and methods to produce several award-winning wines.
The Chateau also serves as a boutique hotel and restaurant, and its here were you will enjoy your meal. A wonderful selection of regional specialities accompanied by the wine you have just been learning about and tasting.
All that is left is to head back to Madrid and get some rest.
If you are intersted in spending some days in Ribera del Duero we recommend you our hotel section and also this post with ideas on things to do in Ribera del Duero.
We trust you decide to join us in one of our daily tours. Enjoy Ribera!
