Wine Holidays

Ribera del Duero, Spain 6 days

This region could be said to be the Spanish secret. Usually, La Rioja is the centre of attention when it comes to Spanish wines and this central area rarely gets a mention. This is possibly because production is low and the Spanish themselves rush to buy before any can escape abroad.
Very few British wine enthusiasts make it into the area and because we are such a rarity we have found an extremely warm welcome from the locals on our travels. It’s definitely a new experience for most people and we can thoroughly recommend both the wine and the region to you and unravel their secrets!
This tour starts the moment you board the ship at Plymouth. The “Pont Aven” is Brittany Ferries’ flagship and the £100m state of the art, 40,000 tonne vessel has all the amenities of a cruise liner. The 19-hour crossing to Spain is very much part of the experience. A 2-berth cabin is allocated.
We sail at 1600 and once on board Stephen will be presenting a tutored tasting of the wines we will meet in Spain, followed by dinner. We reach Santander at 1230 on the second day and drive southwards into Castile. By now you will be feeling thirsty so we make a stop in Fuensaldana to taste at the small and super-friendly Bodegas Emeterio Fernandez. We now amble on to check into the 4* Hotel Melia in central Valladolid for three nights. We have dinner at the hotel on the first night. The Old Quarter of Valladolid is just a few steps outside the front door of the hotel.
Next day we travel to the Duero Valley to visit the Abadia Retuerta estate with its 12thC abbey, vineyards and winery. We move on after this visit to Serrada in the Rueda region where we visit the extremely friendly Bodegas Alberto Gutierrez for a visit and tasting.
After the tasting we stroll across the road for a typical regional lunch at a small restaurant opposite the establishment. We return to the hotel in the late afternoon and you’ll have some time to sightsee in Valladolid.
On Wednesday we are travelling eastwards following the River Duero towards the principal town of the region, Aranda de Duero. Just outside the town we head for our first visit to the historic Real Sitio de Ventosilla where we will enjoy a visit and tasting. After this visit we will now drive to lunch at Condado de Haza. In the late afternoon we start back to the hotel but make a stop at Peñafiel. Dominated by its castle where there is a wine museum, this small town has one of the largest and oldest main squares in Spain and we’ll spend a few moments here sightseeing.
We will leave on Thursday and set off for the short journey to Valoria la Buena in Ciagles and our final tasting will be at Bodegas Pilcar around 1030. We now continue to Santander for the 1530 sailing to England. We have dinner on board to discuss our visit to Spain. This reaches Plymouth at 0930 on the sixth day.

The cost includes: cruise-ferry crossing to Spain with 2-berth cabin; travel by executive coach; tasting and two dinners on board; three nights’ accommodation at a 4* hotel with buffet breakfast and dinner on the first night; two lunches in country; all tastings and excursions; services of Stephen Barrett as expert Tour Manager.

Departure date

Please note:
Single supplement (inc cabin) £90

Online Booking click here

Pick up points Bath-Bristol-Taunton-Exeter-Newton Abbot-Plymouth