The Wine Counselor® Invites You To Spain
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Michael Schafer, The Wine Counselor®, invites you on a journey of discovery in the great wine and culinary regions of Spain including Ribera del Duero, Rioja, Priorat, Montsant, and Penedès. The Wine Counselor® has an unmatched breadth of knowledge and passion for wine, and a unique style of “edutaining” his guests about the incredible wines they will experience.
DAYS 1 & 2, May 17 - 18: USA & Madrid
Embarking on our journey of discovery, we depart the USA on an overnight flight to Madrid. Enjoy dinner and drinks served on board. Upon arrival at Madrid–Barajas Airport, a warm welcome awaits us from our tour manager. After checking into the Catalonia Plaza Mayor hotel, the rest of the day is free to explore Madrid before our Welcome Dinner at Ferretería Restaurante. (D)
DAY 3, May 19: Madrid
After breakfast we will depart on a half-day guided tour to discover the highlights of Madrid including the city’s historic corners, including the Puerta del Sol, Plaza Mayor and the narrow streets of the oldest parts of the city where the Spanish nation was born. After our morning tour, we’ll have lunch at a Madrid institution: Casa Salvador. Here you’ll get a taste of classic Madrid cuisine at one of the city’s oldest restaurants. The rest of the day is ours to continue our exploration of Madrid. Dinner on our own. (B|L)
DAY 4, May 20: Ribera del Duero > Burgos
Leave the Spanish capital for the open country of Ribera del Duero, Spain’s premier wine region for full-bodied Tempranillo reds made from old vines. We’ll start with a masterclass tasting at Pago de los Capellanes. This family winery produces superb Riberas, from refreshing young reds to long-aged single vineyard wines. Then, it’s on to lunch at El Lagar de Isilla, a beloved local institution known for its restaurant as well as its small-production Ribera wines. Enjoy the delicious roast lamb for which the area is known, a dish that pairs perfectly with Lagar de Isilla’s wines. After lunch, we’ll make our way north to the historic city of Burgos. We’ll be right in the old town, giving us the chance to roam the medieval streets and discover the legendary Burgos tapas bars on our own. Overnight in Burgos at the Palacio de Burgos Hotel. (B|L)
DAY 5, May 21: Rioja - Logroño
This morning we set off for Rioja, northern Spain’s great wine region, home to some of the finest wineries in the country. On our way into Rioja, learn about the region’s important religious history with a visit to the Cathedral of Santo Domingo de la Calzada in southern Rioja. Next, head to the Station Quarter in wine town Haro. This wine-dominated district is where Rioja wine exports began in earnest, and today it’s home to legendary producers. Get our introduction to Rioja wine with a visit to iconic Bodegas Muga. This family-run winery makes some of Rioja’s best classic-style wines as well as rich, fruity modern Riojas beloved by collectors worldwide. Visit the winery, where we can see the traditional winemaking practiced here, before tasting fine Muga wines. Then, head across the street for lunch at La Rioja Alta, a legendary producer of long-aged Reserva and Gran Reserva wines right in the heart of Haro. Enjoy a traditional Riojan lunch paired with La Rioja Alta wines. Continue on to the Hotel Marqués de Vallejo in Logroño, Rioja’s capital and largest city. Dinner is on our own today, and Logroño’s old town is packed with lively tapas bars and creative restaurants. (B|L)
DAY 6, May 22: Rioja
After breakfast, we return to the vines. Today will be dedicated to the varied and fascinating world of Rioja wine. Start at Miguel Merino, one of the titans of “new-school Rioja.” Miguel Merino’s expressive, terroir-driven wines have helped draw renewed attention to Rioja in recent years. Taste the estate’s wines including classic long-aged reds as well as single-vineyard wines. Then it’s time for a tasting at renowned Pujanza, whose cool vineyards near the Sierra Cantabria mountains produce elegant, expressive Rioja wines that have shown the world another side of Rioja.
For lunch, head to the artisan winery Lecea in the village of San Asensio. The Lecea family has acquired and restored underground cellars in the village abandoned over the years which they use to age their small-production wines. We’ll enjoy a classic Rioja country lunch with grilled lamb chops paired with Lecea wines. Upon our return to Logrono, the evening is ours to explore the incredible pintxos bars this wonderful town has to offer. (B|L)
DAY 7, May 23: Priorat
After breakfast, we depart Logrono and drive through the open lands of Aragón to Priorat, Catalonia’s most extreme and exciting wine region. It’s a region of steep slopes and winding roads, where old vineyards of Grenache and Carignan struggle in black slate soil and tiny villages look out over stunning hills and valleys. Lunch will be at Clos Figueras, the winery and restaurant founded by Priorat pioneer Christopher Cannan. Here we’ll get to enjoy a farm to table meal that makes use of seasonal products from the area while pairing each dish with Clos Figueras wines. Then, head to Clos Mogador, one of the Priorat’s original five innovators for a visit and tasting. Here we’ll have the chance to learn about Priorat winemaking and taste some of the region’s most acclaimed wines. In Falset, dinner at Hotel Sport’s restaurant will show us the best of Priorat’s country cuisine paired with local wines from a cellar packed with Priorat and Montsant wines. Overnight at the Hotel Sport. (B|L|D)
DAY 8, May 24: Montsant > Penedès > Barcelona
Start our day with a winery visit in Montsant, Priorat’s sister region. Visit artisan producer Acústic and taste red and white Montsant wines that have brought the region much-deserved acclaim in recent years. Then, leave the Montsant behind and enter the Penedès wine region, the birthplace of cava, Catalonia’s answer to Champagne. The rolling hills of this region just outside Barcelona produce grapes for Spain’s greatest sparkling wines, aged for years in the cellars of the great houses of the area. Start our sparkling wine journey with a farm-to-table lunch at Cal Blay Origens. Our wine-pairing lunch will feature a selection of sparkling wines from nearby producers that pair perfectly with Penedès cuisine. We’ll then visit elite Corpinnat producer, Recaredo. Corpinnat is a designation for high quality, long-aged sparkling wine from Penedès. Learn about the winery’s sustainable vineyards and see the walls of aging cava before a tasting of world-class long-aged sparkling wines alongside white wines made from the local Xarello grape. Afterwards, dive into Barcelona, Spain’s coastal second city and the capital of Catalonia. It’s a city with a special character, cosmopolitan yet relaxed, traditional and avant-garde in turn. Check-in at the Hotel Praktik Vinoteca and dinner on our own. (B|L)
DAY 9, May 25: Barcelona
Today, we immerse ourselves in Barcelona’s Modernist architectural heritage with an expert guide. Barcelona native Antoni Gaudí designed psychedelic buildings across the city that defined the image of Modernism. Explore the hilltop Park Güell, where Gaudi’s otherworldly structures and whimsical tile work frame views over the city.
Visit the World Heritage site and Guaudi's masterpiece, Sagrada Familia Basilica, Our farewell dinner will be at Racó d’en Cesc, a temple to good eating and local Catalan cuisine. Here we’ll enjoy a menu of market cuisine dishes making use of the best of the Mediterranean and the Catalan countryside. Wines from the restaurant’s well-stocked wine cellar will bring together all we’ve learned on this wine journey through Spain. (B|D)
DAY 10, May 26: Departure Day
Today we bid adiós to Spain and its incredible wines, beautiful landscapes, delicious cuisine and wonderful culture. After breakfast we transfer to the Barcelona airport for our flight home. Muchas gracias, Consejero del vino, for the incredible experience! (B)