Planning a holiday in Spain always involves some nice food plans. If the final destiny is La Rioja, a good wine tasting tour is a must. There are other areas in the country that claim the right to be considered best wine producers, but La Rioja wineries have always been Spanish flagship for quality wines for a reason.
Bodegas Bilbainas
Wine orientated tourism started when the Vivanco family first opened the Museum of wine Culture. Short after that, Bodegas Bilbainas was the first la Rioja winery to open their doors to the public. It offers both a wine tasting experience and informative tours on how true Rioja wine is made. If there is a good place to start a wine tasting tour, this is it. And this can be organized by an incoming travel agency specialized in wine tasting. One of their finest wines is Viña Pomal. The winery is best known for a very good costumer service and great attention to detail.
Dinastía Vivanco
Very close to Briones, just by the main road N-232, the Vivanco Family owns and manages their own la Rioja winery. It opens to the public on Sundays also, and offers a whole wine related experience. The visit can be taylor made and organized by an incoming travel agency specialized in wine tasting too. It may include both the winery and the Museum, only the winery or only the museum. The main building is surrounded by the family vineyards and looks like a Spanish villa.
La Rioja Alta
This winery is located in Haro, a village to pay a visit to even for those with no interest in wine. Wine tasting tours include three different wines, but the opening times are not very wide. This La Rioja winery opens march to December and it is closed in August. Despite the narrow schedule, their product and the premises are worth it the trip. To avoid mistakes on dates and opening hours, the services of an incoming travel agency specialised in wine tasting can be hired.
Marqués de Murrieta
Apart from the very good quality of the wines, the visit to the Marques de Murrieta winery is something else. The entrance includes a tour through the vineyards and a visit to the Ygay Castle. Inside this impressive building, a wide collection of classical bottles and original labels can be seen. Besides, the wine tasting experience is guided by a wine professional, so the visitor actually tastes everything that the Murrieta wines have to offer. Any incoming travel agency specialized in wine tasting can organize this visit and will include it in its catalogue.
Marqués de Riscal, the most special of La Rioja wineries
All La Rioja Wineries have their secrets and personal touch, but Marques de Riscal is definitely special. The winery itself is home to some of the finest wines of the region and, therefore, of the country. But there is much more in what it is called «The City of Wine» and an incoming travel agency specialized in wine tasting will know it. The Marques de Riscal winery is a design of Frank Ghery, the famous architect who also has his own wine named after him. The complex includes a spa, restaurants and other touristic spots both wine orientated and not.
Martinez Lacuesta
Also located in Haro, the Martinez Lacuesta winery offers four different wine tasting tours. What makes a true difference between this choice and any of the other ones is that it includes a free tour. It is an our long and it is not available on Sundays. This is a perfect option to combine with La Rioja Alta, a combination that can be organized by an incoming travel agency specialized in wine tasting so times are perfect and visits long enough to be enjoyed at their maximum.
Muga
Haro is one of the main wine villages in La Rioja and here is where you will find the Muga winery, by the station district. Here you can choose between a wide range of experiences. You can try a beginners course on wine tasting or go completely wild and do your tasting in a balloon, which can also be organized by an incoming travel agency specialized in wine tasting