Taste of Spain & Portugal
October 9th - 18th, 2012

Vineyard This is a trip designed for those with a taste for life. From the culture, spectacular architecture and vibrant nightlife of Madrid, to the legendary wine regions of Ribera del Duero, Rioja and Portugal’s Douro region. This is a tour with the taste buds in mind.

Tour Cost

$3795/person (includes tax) land-only, based on double occupancy, does not include flight from North America to Madrid
Single Suppliment add 10%

Inquiries/Reservations: info@winebytheglass.ca, call 902-488-9959

Includes

9 night’s accommodation
8 dinners (with wine) – one evening consists of an evening of tapas dining
6 lunches
Guided tours of Burgos and Madrid
Return flights from Madrid to Oporto (economy class)
All winery tours and beverages as detailed in tour itinerary

Itinerary

Tuesday, October 9th - Segovia

Welcome to Spain! After meeting the group at Madrid airport; we are off for a short drive to Segovia. Segovia is a Unesco World Heritage Site and home to the best preserved aqueduct in Europe. Originally built in 50 A.D, the two tier Roman aqueduct frames the city. We’ll arrive in the afternoon with plenty of time for a guided tour of the Alcazar – the local castle which inspired Walt Disney – and take in the sights and sounds of this small but bustling city. After an afternoon winding our way through the ancient alleyways past the highest concentration of Romanesque churches in Europe we’ll retire to the Meson de Candido to dine on roast suckling pig. Accomodation: Plaza Eurostar or similar

Wednesday, October 10th – Ribera del Duero

After a morning to sleep in we are off for a short drive to the Ribera del Duero DO. Our destination is the small town of Fuentidueno in the heart of Spanish wine country. It will be our home for the next two days. We’ll stay in the comfortable hotel, Palacio de Los Condes, in the middle of town. The hotel has been recently been renovated and offers very comfortable rooms.We’ll have a light lunch as we arrive. This afternoon you’ll have time to hike the town which is home to a number of ancient ruins and a collection of ancient wineries built into the large hill the town is built which gives this part of the town a “hobbit” like feel. For those that prefer we have a tasting arranged a local winery. Tonight we’ll dine at the hotel’s beautiful restaurant with its 80 foot domed ceiling providing awe inspiring background. Accomodation: Palacios de los Condos

Thursday, October 11th - Exploring Penafiel – the heart of Ribera del Duero

Today is a day of exploring wine country. We’ll begin the day with a visit to Vega Sicilia - one of the world’s most illustrious wineries. Vega Sicilia is unquestionably Spain’s most famous winery and its wines unparalleled in their combination of strength and finesse. After visiting this famous property we’ll enjoy a light lunch. Next is a tour and tasting at O Fournier. We’ll then make our to Penafiel Castle before retiring to nearby Molino de Palacios, featuring lechazo asado (roast baby lamb), the specialty of the region and local wines, of course. Accomodation: Palacios de los Condos

Friday, October 12th – Burgos to Rioja

We’ll leave mid-morning today. You’ll need some rest for the experience to come. We are off to Rioja via the historic city of Burgos. Burgos is a city loaded with history and dominated by impressive architecture. The history of Burgos (the province) dates back to the Roman Empire. Between the fifth and eighth centuries it was occupied by the Visigoths and Arabs only to be recaptured in the 9th century by King Alfonso III. The King built many castles for the defense of Burgos. A visit to Burgos isn’t complete without a visit to its impressive cathedral or a picture in front of the statue of El Cid – the town’s most famous resident. Next stop is Rioja. We are headed to its capital, Logrono, which will be our base for the next couple nights. We’ll check into our centrally located hotel where you might opt to take a siesta before the evening’s activities which are centered around the Calle Laurel – Logrono’s bar area. We’ll spend the night dining on tapas and drinking Rioja Crianza at every stop. Accomodation: F & G Logron

Saturday, October 13th – Rioja Vineyards & Laguardia

In the morning you will have some free to explore Logrono. We’ll meet after lunch to start a day of wine touring. First stop will be Marques de Murrieta’s Ygay Estate– a winery that bridges history and modernity. Following our tour and tasting we will venture to to Marques de Riscal which is amongst the region’s oldest and most established wineries but it is also home to a hotel and spa designed by Frank Gehry. The estate has become somewhat commercialized so we’ll simply stop for some pictures and visit the gift shop. Next stop is the hilltop town of La Guardia which overlooks the Rioja landscape. This medieval town is a walled city with spectacular architecture above ground and a vast maze of wineries, restaurants and bars below street level. You’ll have some free time to explore before meeting back up with the group. The day ends with a tour of Herras Cordon – a Rioja winery noted for having its wines served at the Vatican. Dinner will be enjoyed in their underground dining room of this fabulous winery. Accomodation: F & G Logrono

Sunday, October 14th- Madrid

After two days, indulging in the wines and food of Rioja we are off for a leisurely drive as we venture back to Madrid recounting our tales of fine food and fine wine. Madrid is a city brimming with culture (which in Madrid means Flamenco, late night tapas and great wine!). We’ll drop off our vans at the airport and then shuttle into the city, where we will enjoy the comfort our hotel conveniently located on Madrid’s famous Gran Via. This afternoon we’ll spend the day absorbing the sights and sounds of this electrifying city. You will have the option of taking a bus tour of the city or simply explore it yourself as you see fit. You might want to have dinner at a Madrid institution – the Museo del Jamon. Yes, that does translate to the Museum of Ham…it is Spain after all. For those that wish to partake in some typical Madrid entertainment, we can help you book a reservation at one of the many Flamenco bars in the city. Be prepared to stay up late as the Flamenco bars to get lively until late into the night.
Accomodation: Hotel Ada Palace

Monday, October 15th– Oporto, Taylor Fladgate Port Dinner

It’s time to say goodbye to Spain. We’ll transfer to Madrid airport in preparation for the next leg of our tour. We’re off to the coastal city of Oporto in Portugal. Despite not being home to any vineyards, Oporto has long played a major role in the wine industry for centuries. Oporto and Vila Nova de Gaia are home to the Port merchants. While the grapes for Portugal’s most noble wine style are sourced from the mountainous Upper Douro region, the wines are finished here before being exported around the world. Today, we’ll check into our luxurious hotel. We’ll enjoy a well deserved light lunch in its bar area which gives a spectacular view of Vila Nova de Gaia below and Oporto across the river; simply stunning! Take some time to relax in the splendor of your room. We’ll have a late afternoon appointment at Taylor Fladgate’s Port Lodge, which is just a few hundred meters away. After the visit, we’ll return to the hotel to freshen up before going to the nearby Barao de Fladgate for dinner. Accomodation: The Yeatma

Tuesday, October 16th – A Night in Port Country

You can enjoy some well-deserved time to sleep in or if your head isn’t throbbing from the Port the night before you can wander the streets of the city. Grab a hearty lunch today as we’ll be making the two hour drive from Oporto up to Vila Real on the way to Pinhao which is in the heart of Port country. We will be staying at Casa das Pipas – a beautiful hotel located on the property of Quinta do Portal. The rooms are extremely comfortable and well furnished, as is the whole house which is full of antiques. The vineyards around the property produce grapes used for Quinta do Portal which we’ll be sure to sample on this evening. For the adventurous, there will be some pre-dinner hiking opportunities so you can absorb the majestic beauty of the region.We’ll arrange a wine tasting before we dine at a restaurant on the property featuring local cuisine and wines from the region. Accomodation: Casa das Pipas

Wednesday, October 17th – A Vintage Day Touring the Greatest Port Vineyards

Today we are the guests of Fonseca, one of Portugal’s best known Port houses. Which is considered by top wine experts to be the "Petrus of Port", Fonseca is quite definitely one of the best Ports in the world. The company was established in 1822, when Manuel Pedro Guimaraens acquired control of the Fonseca & Monteiro Company. Fonseca manage to stand out from the rest of the Port Houses as being that extra bit special. The best way to possibly appreciate the wine would be to taste it at the historic Quinta (winery), drinking in the history, the dramatic scenery and of course, spectacular Port Wines Accomodation: Casa das Pipas

Thursday, October 18th

It is time to depart Port country. You’ll be transferred to Oporto airport. From there we’ll make our connecting flight back to Madrid and onwards back to North America. For those that are continuing on their journey to other corners of European wine country, we will wish you well on your next adventure.