Monday, October 21, 2024
Our Cuvée expedition with award-winning author and expert of the Rioja region, Ana Fabiano, will commence at the rendezvous point, Bilbao-Abando Train Station, where our Palatum Trip Leader will be waiting to welcome everyone. At the designated time, we will depart for the fabled vines of Álava in Basque Country’s Rioja Alavesa sub-region. We’ll raise a glass to our Riojan adventure with Ana while visiting the iconic, fifth generation producer Viña Real for a vertical tasting of Rioja Reservas and Gran Reservas, which will culminate with a special picnic in the vineyards. The afternoon will see us checking-in to our sumptuous five-star stay, Hotel Marqués de Riscal, an architectural masterpiece designed by Frank Gehry and the contemporary centerpiece of Elciego’s monumental City of Wine. Following free time to discover the plush amenities of our wine country stay, we’ll toast to our first evening with a welcome dinner of refined Rioja Alavesa fare paired with panoramic views and old Marqués de Riscal vintages at our hotel’s airy and architectural 1860 Tradición, a culinary creation by celebrated chef Francis Paniego.

Meals: Light Lunch, D
Overnight: Hotel Marqués de Riscal

Tuesday, October 22, 2024
In the morning we’ll set off for the countryside heart of La Rioja where a hands-on cooking experience awaits us at celebrated epicurean destination, Venta Moncalvillo, a Michelin-starred ode to the terroir of Rioja by brothers, Chef Ignacio Echapresto and sommelier Carlos Echapresto. We’ll roll up our sleeves for an immersive introduction to Rioja’s fresh from the garden ingredients and rustic food traditions before savoring a delectable lunch of our vegetable forward dishes along with some masterful creations of the chef. Our day will continue with a guided exploration of Logroño for an introduction to the city’s Roman origins, cultural composition, and reputation as an important center for the Rioja wine industry. After free time to peruse the city’s many shops and picturesque streets independently, our evening will be dedicated to the art of the tapeo as we savor our way through the legendary tapas taverns of Calle Laurel, the gastronomic epicenter of Logroño, where the singular flavors of Rioja are served up delicious bite by bite.

Meals: B, L, D
Overnight: Hotel Marqués de Riscal

Wednesday, October 23, 2024
Today we begin with a celebration of Rioja Alavesa’s wine making heritage during a private visit to its oldest winery, the hallowed Marqués de Riscal estate, dating back to 1858. We will experience the winery’s state of the art production facilities, historic aging rooms and famed cathedral-like cellar housing a treasure trove of eight million bottles, before being welcomed for a singular guided tasting of unique vintages led by the estate’s legendary chief winemaker. We will continue reveling in the history of Rioja as we travel to the medieval walled village of Laguardia, known for its charming center of antique bodegas and the inspiring 14th century carved portico of the Church of Santa María de los Reyes, which we’ll stop to admire along the way. Following free time to discover Laguardia’s charming center, we’ll arrive to the historic cellars of Casa Primicia, a family-owned bodega housed within the medieval Casa de la Primicia. We’ll spend time tasting the producer’s small batch wines within the scenic setting of their atmospheric 15th century cellar. Today’s lunch will be a love letter to traditional Alavesa cuisine in the heart of Laguardia, before returning to Elciego for a free evening to appreciate the divine amenities of our elegant architectural stay and dine independently.

Meals: B, L
Overnight: Hotel Marqués de Riscal

Thursday, October 24, 2024
This morning we bid farewell to Hotel Marqués de Riscal and depart the Rioja Alavesa sub-region for the heart of La Rioja. We’ll start the day at awarded cheese farm, Los Cameros, where we will be hosted for a private tour of the creamery before savoring the farm’s prized artisan cheeses crafted from goat, sheep and cow’s milk. Our journey will lead us to the lovely wine town of Haro for free time to explore its scenic center independently, before visiting the esteemed Bodegas Conde de los Andes to experience its illustrious 15th century cellars followed by a tasting of the winery’s latest releases along with a historic vintage. A true highlight of the region, we will next make our way to the acclaimed Vivanco Museum of Wine, a uniquely sensory exploration of Rioja’s viticultural heritage, where a guided visit will introduce us to the museum’s intriguing collection, including the Garden of Bacchus dedicated to over 220 grape varietals, and a tasting of the legendary producer’s wine. The afternoon will lead us to our chic boutique retreat, Hotel Santa María Briones, a former 16th century manor house nestled in the medieval heart of Briones. Tonight’s dinner will be hosted at our hotel’s acclaimed Allegrar restaurant helmed by Chef Juan Cuesta, a native Riojano committed to creating modern Riojan dishes showcasing top quality produce from local orchards and artisan producers.

Meals: B, D
Overnight: Hotel Santa María Briones

Friday, October 25, 2024
Today we will journey back in time to appreciate the cultural legacy of the Rioja region in the storied village of San Millán de la Cogolla, said to be the ancient birthplace of the Spanish language. We will spend the early part of the day discovering San Millán’s illustrious UNESCO World Heritage sites, the Romanesque monastery of San Millán de Suso, a former pilgrimage site dating back to the 6th century where the first words of Castilian Spanish were written, and the 16th century monastery of San Millán de Yuso, a continuation of the monastic tradition first began at the monastery of Suso. Our afternoon will be crowned with an exclusive visit to the glorious 19th century Ygay Estate of iconic producer, Marques de Murrieta, where an intimate private lunch of signature Marques de Murrieta wines paired with gastronomic bites awaits. A leisurely free afternoon in Briones offers an ideal opportunity to relax at the hotel or explore the town independently, before gathering together to savor a dinner of quintessential local fare at a traditional asador in the heart of Briones.

Meals: B, L, D
Overnight: Hotel Santa María Briones

Saturday, October 26, 2024
Our viticultural exploration of the Rioja Alta will continue at the acclaimed estate of innovative producer, Bodegas Roda. We will appreciate an exquisite glimpse of the estate during a morning horse drawn carriage ride through the vineyards before sipping a flight of special vintages showcasing Roda’s exceptional winemaking legacy. We’ll continue our Riojana adventure at the legendary estate of Bodegas Bilbaínas, a winemaking vanguard that has been crafting exquisite Rioja vintages under their esteemed Rioja label Viña Pomal since 1904. Beginning our private winery visit with a guided exploration of the historic bodega, we’ll celebrate our time on the estate with a truly unique lunch set amongst the vineyards, featuring reimagined Riojan cuisine with gastronomic flair, and paired with the bodega’s signature vintages. Returning to Hotel Santa María Briones, we’ll delight in a free afternoon to enjoy the splendors of the hotel and relish our final Spanish afternoon. In the evening we will gather to raise a toast to Ana and our Cuvée expedition through Rioja during a sumptuous closing dinner at La Vieja Bodega, a local epicurean institution housed within an idyllic 17th century cellar.

Meals: B, L, D
Overnight: Hotel Santa María Briones

Sunday, October 27, 2024
This morning we will check-out from Hotel Santa María Briones and depart for our scheduled drop-offs at Bilbao Airport and Bilbao-Abando Train Station, signaling the end of tour.

Meals: B