This trip is a true trip for wine-lovers! But there is not only wine tasting on the schedule during this week-long program. There will be opportunities to see how wine was made yesterday in comparison with modern techniques of authors or garage styled modern wines. Experience the colourful landscapes of the autumn with all its aromas and flavours. We stay at a modern family hotel in the beautiful village of San Vicente de la Sonsierra, right on the golden mile of Rioja Alta. With a special micro-climate and a terroir just perfect for the Riojan grape varieties, San Vicente is well known for wineries like El Contador of Benjamín Romeo, the Eguren Brothers or Bodegas Abel Mendoza.
Day 1 Sunday
Arrival to our hotel downtown Bilbao. A welcome drink during the presentation of the week followed by a pintxos tour closes day 1.
Day 2 Monday
Bus transfer to the start of the walking. Walk through a magical beech forest and get a spectacular view over the Rioja valley from the majestic Sierra del Toloño. We visit a small modern bodega, taste their garage wines with lunch and try some real bodega work. After that a short walk to our hotel in San Vicente de la Sonsierra, where we check in, rest and have a tapas cooking evening.
Day 3 Tuesday
The day begins with an interesting art walk around Labastida and a visit and tasting at Bodegas Mitarte. After this we will have some ancient wine labour making such as wine pressing by foot in prehistoric wine pools caved in the rock. If the weather permits so, lunch will be an open air picnic with a tasting of local young wines. When the night falls we will be participating in some active creative modern Spanish cooking. We will prepare a gourmet dinner with season products, such as wild mushrooms. On the way to the restaurant we propose a photo safari to get a glimpse of the modern architecture of the Baigorri, Ysios and Marqués de Riscal wineries.
Day 4 Wednesday
A light leisure walk to the village of Briones, where we will visit another winery and the world wide known wine museum Museo del Vino Bodegas Dinastía Vivanco. After the walk and the museum, it is time for a light dinner. Siesta, and then a short visit to the castle of San Vicente before we head for a sensational Michelin-inspired dinner.
Day 5 Thursday
We continue to Ezcaray for a morning mountain and forest walk before lunch at our comfortable family hotel. In the afternoon you can enjoy optional walking routes around Ezcaray. At night we prepare a tasting menu with our hotel chef. A brilliant farewell dinner!
Day 6 Friday
We visit and leisure walk towards Santo Domingo, visit the Cathedral and move on to some tapas hopping on our own in Haro. Transfer to Bilbao, check in and farewell to our guides!
Day 7 Saturday
Free day in Bilbao to stroll around, shop or visit the Guggenheim museum. If you already have been to Bilbao we propose a day tour to San Sebastian (1h by bus). Lunch and dinner on your own.
Day 8 Sunday
Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to airport or ferries.
San Vicente de la Sonsierra Day 2-5. A traidtional family hotel turned into a modern Design Hotel some 5 years ago now. A better base camp is hard to find and the host couple Pedro & Irene will make you feel just like home…
Our cooking sessions are meant to be learning and inspiring. Three cooking hands on cooking session will make you understand that food and wine go together in the region…
Visits to 4 wineries with tastings. There will be opportunities to see how wine was made yesterday in comparison with modern techniques of authors or garage styled modern wines. We also do our own wine harvest one day – supervised by local wine experts where we get a feel for this hard work!
Tour documentary 2012 
La Rioja promo video 
