Rioja

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Rioja

Rioja Vineyard Walk

Rioja Vineyard Walk

Rioja Vineyard Walk

7 - 13 September 2008

At Arblaster & Clarke we are huge enthusiasts for this stunning part of Spain and the wines that emanate from it.

Rioja Vineyard Walk is one of our favourite walks, the views are dramatic and being on foot, you will see this from a particularly privileged view-point. The vineyards of Rioja are set in huge tracts of land that make for excellent walking countryside. This is a fascinating region to visit and being on foot, you will see this from a privileged viewpoint. Apart from the wines you will be tasting along the way, which are very high quality, you will see nature at close hand. We have seen bee-eaters and other rare birds, and are often escorted by a posse of partridges with kites, buzzards and eagles soaring over head.

We meet in Bilbao and our first walk gives us a dramatic entry into Rioja Alta as we stride down to Castillo de Sajazarra. Over the next couple of days we cover the ground between the Monasterio de Yuso and Cordovin, a village of small cellars surrounded by classic red earth Rioja Alta vineyards. Here we visit a couple of small cellars including a ‘Coesechero’ (grower). This is an end of the day tasting at which we are often joined by locals from the village.

We continue to walk through Rioja Alavesa and then below the Sierra de Cantabria. We’ll see the roof line of Ysios, the dramatic building in flashing titanium that matches the jagged line of the mountains behind it. Later we explore the medieval hill town of Laguardia.

We climb up to the superb viewpoint above the Rioja Alavesa called the Balcon de Rioja. There will also be a fascinating walk through the mountains above Rioja where we stumble across a ruined monastery.

As we walk, we see the dramatic differences in ‘terroir’ of Rioja, between the Rioja Alavesa and Rioja Alta. Although these regions are defined politically, it is the geological difference that is most noticeable; Alavesa has white clay lime soils whereas those of Alta can be shocking dark red betraying the presence of iron. The wines of Alavesa tend to be elegant and those of the Alta more forceful, as you will see in the series of excellent tastings along the route at great smaller bodegas such as Remelluri, Vina Iljaba, Luis Canas and Bodegas Sonsierra.

There are some climbs and descents on the route, but the coach is usually on hand to pick up any weary walkers. There are pit-stops along the way at Bodegas and in the villages.

Our base for exploring and walking the Rioja Alta is a comfortable hotel with a Michelin* restaurant. We then we stay in a 4* in Haro, and finally in the village of Samaniego in a delightful family-run Palacio (very good 2*) with an outstanding restaurant.