The Wine Insider: Rioja and Duero

Each month in The Wine Insider we will highlight one of our destination wine regions and share some interesting tidbits of information about it's wines. Make sure to check out our Tips, Parings and Facts on the right hand side of the page.

Visiting Rioja & Duero

Rioja, less than an hour from Madrid, is divided into three parts, the Alta (highest) in the west, the Basque country of Alavesa in the heart of the region (great food here) and the Baja, the lowest and warmest part, producing the most alcoholic wines. The Ribera de Duero is between Madrid and Santander, this region near Burgos is the fastest developing wine district in the country and the home of a definite must see: the medieval Castilian Gothic cathedral from the 800! The combination of cold nights, sunny days, the highest altitudes of any wine-producing region in Spain, and fertile alkaline soil produce flavorful, award-winning wines. Spanish wineries are known as "bodegas" and the wine makers, "bodegueros". The bodegueros make their products from a large variety of grapes - too large to list here. But for appreciating your wine adventure you should know that the wines from Rioja, set in the foothills of the Pyrenees close to the French border and 45 minutes south east of Bilbao (where you'll experience another must see, the famous Guggenhiem museum), are typically built around the Tempranillo grape using traditional production methods and technique that came from Bordeaux in the 19th Century. It's also not unusual to find the better reds blended with Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Noir.

But before you experience this incredible countryside, there are some must sees and dos that you won't want to miss in Madrid, the Capital and art center of Spain, such as the Prado, the 3rd greatest Museum in all of Europe. And, if you love cultural and artistic history, you've got to see the Thyssen and Reina Sofia Museums as well. And to complement your days of cultural and artistic heritage, your nights will reflect the fun and culinary artistry of Madrid's tapa bar and dining experience, the most civilized and exciting way to meet the beautiful people of Spain.

A Tour in Rioja & Duero

Rioja is less than an hour from the must see Capital and art center of Spain, Madrid where you can also experience the fun and culinary artistry of the "tapas" bar & dining experience. Rioja itself is divided into three parts, the Alta (highest) in the west, the Basque country of Alavesa in the heart of the region (great food here) and the Baja, the lowest and warmest part, producing the most alcoholic wines. Wines from this region, set in the foothills of the Pyrenees close to the French border and 45 minutes south east of Bilbao (home of must see Guggenheim museum), are typically built around the Tempranillo grape using traditional production methods and technique that came from Bordeaux in the 19th Century.

The Ribera de Duero is between Madrid and Santander, this region near Burgos is the fastest developing wine district in the country and the home of another must see the medieval Castilian Gothic cathedral from the 800s! The Duero's combination of cold nights, sunny days, the highest altitudes of any wine-producing region in Spain and fertile alkaline soil produce truly flavorful, award-winning wines.

It's not unusual to find the better reds in both areas blended with Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Noir and all the reds and even some whites are matured in oak - the Bordeaux influence again!

Your Rioja & Duero WineWorldTours adventure includes:
> 6 days and 5 Nights hotel in shared double/twin room including taxes
> 5 breakfasts
> 1 lunch at Arzuaga Navarro, including fine wines, paired with food
> 1 gourmet dinner at Hotel-Bodega Torremilanos
> 1 gourmet dinner at Castillo El Collado (wine not included)
> 8 VIP winery visits
> All wine tasting fees
> Artisan visit - TBD based on your interests

Some of the wonderful bodegas you may visit include Arzuaga Navarro, Villacampa, Torremilamos, Ventosilla, Marques de Riscal, Remirez de Ganuza, Allende, Ysios, Roda, López de Heredia among any others! And to make this adventure a most warm and welcoming comfortable experience we've arrange your accommodation at two very personal and friendly family-owned and well-run properties. The Hotel Castillo el Collado, a small boutique hotel in the medieval village of Laguardia, is in the heart of Rioja while the beautiful Hotel Torremilanos is part of the Penalba-Lopez winery. Situated on beautiful grounds in the midst of hillside vineyards outside the town of Aranda de Duero, it offers an outstanding restaurant featuring regional specialties. Each room is individually decorated and the service is equally impressive.

> Self Drive Program which includes rental car or van for tour period, basic insurance (upgrades available), maps and detailed driving instructions & tips priced from $2,699.00 per person double occupancy but can be as low as $2,649.00 based on the number of travelers.
> Chauffeur Program which includes car or van for tour period, wine expert driver & guided commentary priced from $5,895.00 but can be as low as $3,695.00. See above.

View the Tour Details...

Rioja and Ribera del Duero Serving Tips

Since Spain's winemaking rules force producers to age their wine before releasing it to the market, cellaring is somewhat less of an issue than it is with big Bordeaux wines. Similarly, when buying Spanish wines you need to remember that a 5 year-old Gran Reserva would be the latest release of that wine, whereas a 5 year old Bordeaux or Burgundy would have been on the market for 3 years already. The tendency of the modern consumer (and retailer) to only look for the most recent vintage, therefore, needs to be overcome when selecting these wines.

Although these wines spend time maturing in the winery, that's not to say that they can't benefit from cellaring. Big, complex wines from Rioja or Duero will certainly round out, evolve and gain complexity from aging, and it's a shame to drink them too young - enjoy your basic Riojas and Dueros as your Crianzas and Reservas lie patiently in your cellar for you to appreciate them at their peak!

Rioja and Ribera del Duero food pairing

Service of red Rioja wines depends on the classification of the wine. Basic Rioja or "Joven" (young) wine from Ribera del Duero is usually a fruit-forward and goes well with red sauces over pasta, grills and even pizza. It's also a great wine for the typical finger foods of northern Spain, as the locals like to drink it in Tapas bars on the way home from work. This use adapts well to the "welcome home" cheese and wine break that many Americans enjoy each evening, especially if your cheese becomes a little more adventurous with roasted vegetables, dried ham, shellfish, marinated squid or octopus like you'd find in Spain - yum!

Crianza and Reserva wines spend more time in oak, are more extracted, complex and tannic, and typically match well with similar foods as would classified Bordeaux - roast meats, hard cheeses, and the favorite of northern Spain, lamb. This is a mainstay of Spanish life, either spit roast whole, grilled, or in a variety of fricassee and sauces. The wines from the Duero tend to show less rusticity and tannins than Rioja, and match more refined dishes - lamb roasted slowly with herbs for instance, rather than on the spit with crispy scorched edges that would go well with a robust Rioja.

Rioja and Ribera del Duero wine facts

Pascal Delbeck, famous for decades as the manager and winemaker of chateaux Belair and Ausone in St. Emilion was hired in the mid-1990's to orchestrate the creation of Abadia Retuerta on its 700 hectare estate in Sardón del Duero, complete with 12th century Romanesque monastery. Pascal used to travel down each week from Bordeaux, driving overnight on a Friday and back on Sunday in time to get back to his French wines on Monday morning! Abadia Retuerta's wines now enjoy a superb reputation - in 2005 it was awarded the "Best red wine" of the world at the International Wine Challenge in London.

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