Food & Drink

A Guide to Spanish Wine Country

Whether you’re a casual wine drinker or a seasoned sommelier, here’s how to weave some vineyard-hopping into your next Spanish vacation.

By Benjamin Kemper

March 7, 2018

Vineyard San Vicente de la Sonsierra as background La Rioja

When it comes to buying Spanish wine, you probably know the basics. Grilling meat? Grab a bold, plummy Rioja. Throwing a party? Stock up on cava, Catalonia’s budget bubbly. But mapping out which wine regions to visit on a vacation to Spain? Even some Spaniards wouldn’t know where to begin. Well, here’s a secret: No matter where you are on the Iberian Peninsula, you’re never far from a vineyard—so don’t overthink it. Barcelona is a commuter train away from the historic cava houses of Penedès. Bierzo, the region wine geeks can’t stop fawning over, is a pleasant, quiet drive from León. And the “Sherry Triangle,” though it sounds a tad foreboding, can be explored on a painless day-trip from Seville. Whether you’re a casual wine drinker or a seasoned sommelier, here’s how to weave some vineyard-hopping into your next Spanish vacation.

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Penedès
Getting there
If you have a day to spare in Barcelona, zip down to Penedès, cava country, to learn how the famous Spanish sparkler is made. You don’t even need a car to visit the iconic bodegas of Codorníu and Freixenet, both of which are located within walking distance of the Sant Sadurní d’Anoia train station. Four wheels do come in handy, however, if you’d like to tour any of the region’s smaller wineries.
Home base
Almanac Barcelona, open since November 2017, is the luxurious, minimalist, and unpretentious hotel the Catalonian capital so desperately needed. Of its 61 rooms, a whopping 30 are suites, lending the hotel an unhurried residential feel. But to truly slow down, stay at Mastinell, an ultra-modern retreat plopped in the center of a rolling vineyard. “Vinotherapy” treatments may seem redundant after a day spent wine tasting, but trust us—they aren’t.
Where to taste
Penedès is home to more than 300 wineries, so it helps to visit with a game plan. Cava’s most ubiquitous producers, Codorníu and Freixenet, are best known for their low-end bubbly, but visit their soaring cellars, and you’ll be rewarded with complex reservas and a hefty dose of history. Though both bodegas stand out for their expert tours and massive barrel rooms, Codorníu has a slight edge over Freixenet for its modernist architecture, underground train, and easily digestible museum.
Off the tourist track but equally worthwhile are family-owned cava houses like Pares Balta, Recaredo, and Caves Félix Massana. At the latter, spend a day behind the scenes trailing vintners and disgorging cava bottles on the house's “A Day With Us” tour.
Where to dine
Between bodegas, settle in for classic Catalonian cuisine at Cal Xim, a cozy restaurant in the village of Sant Pau d’Ordal whose flame-licked seafood dishes stand out for their freshness. Back in Barcelona, splurge on a tasting menu at Enigma, the latest—and, yes, most enigmatic—addition to the Adrià empire. After you’ve entered a secret code at the door (provided via email in advance) and settled into the space-age dining room, a deluge of palate-bending trompe-l'oeil dishes arrive one after the other for hours. The overall experience is hypnotic, discombobulating, and undeniably fun.
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Bierzo
Getting there
Bierzo is a largely non-industrialized wine region located in the remote, northwestern reaches of León province, and to get around, you’ll need to rent a car. Do that in León, a scenic, medieval city just two hours from Madrid on the AVE (high-speed train).
Home base
The most convenient home base in Bierzo might be Ponferrada, a sleepy city of 66,000 people, but León, an hour-and-a-half’s drive away, is far more appealing with its magnificent Gothic cathedral, perennially packed tapas bars, and fine accommodations. The best digs in town are the river-facing rooms at Hostal San Marcos, a newly renovated Parador that occupies an ornate 16th-century command post.
Where to taste
If you’ve tasted a Bierzo wine outside of Spain, chances are it was a mencía blend made by Descendientes de J. Palacios, a bodega on the outskirts of Corullón whose world-renowned repertoire includes cult bottles that retail for more than $1,200. Like virtually all vineyards in Bierzo, Palacios’s vines grow en vaso, or in low, unkempt bushes, making hand-picking a requirement. This back-to-basics wine philosophy is detailed in the recently-built visitor’s center.
Ten miles east of Palacios lies Bodegas Estefanía, the winery behind Tilenus, another of Bierzo’s most promising wines made from indigenous grapes. Here, €22 ($27) gets you a guided walk through the century-old vines and generous pours of Pagos de Posada and Pieros, two of the bodega’s most critically-acclaimed wines.
Where to dine
León is one of those Spanish cities, like Granada and Salamanca, where you can eat a full dinner for the mere price of your drinks. Every time you order a half-pint of beer (“corto” in Leonés slang) or glass of wine (spring for local varietals like albarín, mencía, and prieto picudo), a sizable tapa magically appears. One of the best in town is El Rebote’s croqueta de cecina, a creamy, crisp-fried croquette flecked with dry-aged beef, a local specialty. If your feet need a rest and bar-side dining doesn’t appeal, sit down for a leisurely lunch at Restaurante Sorrento. Their specialty, cocido maragato, is a Castilian chickpea stew that gets its umami-packed flavor from ten cuts of meat.

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The Sherry Triangle
Getting there
Sherry comes from the Sherry Triangle, a sun-drenched corner of southwest Spain bound by the towns of Sanlúcar de Barrameda, Puerto de Santa María, and Jerez de la Frontera—all of which are about 90 minutes from Seville and 30 from Cádiz by car. Iberia flies direct to Jerez and Seville from Madrid, and trains connect the entire region with the rest of Spain. (Rent a car when you arrive.) If you’re based in Seville and only have a day to spare, leave the headache of planning and driving to Devour Tours; their eight-hour sherry program includes two bodega visits, plus lunch and a market tour.
Home base
Wine buffs who value proximity to the bodegas over luxury and ocean views will feel at home at Hotel Sherry Park, a palm-lined building in Jerez with a bright lobby and outdoor pool. But for the majority of travelers, beachy Cádiz is a more appealing place to stay. The city’s Parador, a thoroughly modern hotel with designer furnishings and a buzzing pool deck, is a solid bet.
Where to taste
To wrap your mind around the intricacies of sherry production—which involves esoteric grape varieties, complex fermentation science, and dizzying barrel rotation systems—visit the informative Wine Interpretation Center at Delgado Zuleta in Sanlúcar de Barrameda, the region’s oldest sherry bodega, established in 1744. Unlike other in-house sherry “museums” you’ll find in the region, Zuleta’s displays include antique tools and photographs accompanied by English text. After sampling a glass of briny, ice-cold manzanilla, Sanlúcar’s signature pour, drive south to Jerez to the cathedral-like Williams & Humbert, Europe’s largest winery, which sprawls nearly two million square feet. Insider tip: Visit on a Wednesday or Friday to catch a complimentary Andalusian horse show.
Where to dine
Sherry’s quintessential sidekick is pescaíto frito, flash-fried fish scooped into paper cones, squirted with lemon juice, and eaten with your fingers—ideally on a beach towel. In Cádiz, Freidurería Las Flores is a favorite among locals for its cumin-spiked cazón en adobo and diaphanous shrimp tortillitas. Crustacean-fueled bliss can be found at Casa Bigote in Sanlúcar, a busy taberna that’s equally beloved for its slurpable clams, while La Carboná in Jerez proves that sherry can stand up to char-grilled meats and poultry.
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Rioja
Getting there
Rioja, located an hour’s drive south of Bilbao, comprises three sub-regions: Rioja Alta, to the west; Rioja Alavesa, to the north; and Rioja Baja, to the east. The most prestigious wines hail from the first two. To get there, fly into Bilbao Airport or take a train to Logroño, and then rent a car to reach the vineyards. If time is at a premium, leave the planning to Rioja Wine Trips, a tour company run by an American expat whose itineraries combine the best of the region’s architecture, scenery, and—you guessed it—wine.
Home base
Most visitors to Rioja stay in Logroño, a lively if somewhat unsightly city in the heart of Rioja Alta. The 12-room Hotel Calle Mayor, housed in a 16th-century palace, is a comfortable option located steps from Calle del Laurel, the tapas-filled street fabled for its raucous tabernas and expertly cooked “champis,” or garlicky mushrooms. For a bucolic getaway, pamper yourself at Hotel Marqués de Riscal, an eye-popping Frank Gehry creation with rooms offering vineyard views.
Where to taste
A mandatory stop on any Rioja wine route is the Barrio de la Estación, a historic street outside the town of Haro boasting the highest concentration of centenary wineries in the world. Here, tasting is a door-to-door operation, and with so many world-class wineries at your fingertips, such as CUNE, Muga, and Bodegas Bilbaínas, you can’t go wrong—wherever you may choose to swirl and sip. Tucked around the bend from the main drag is the Zaha Hadid-designed tasting room of López de Heredia, worth visiting for its zany architecture and staunchly traditional Viña Tondonia wines, many of which age for ten years before release.
Where to dine
Rioja reds and woodfire-roasted meats are a deeply satisfying pairing, and that’s why Terete, a tavern in the heart of Rioja Alta specializing in ultra-tender, milk-fed lamb, has been in business since 1877. When you need a reprieve from hearty Riojan fare, book a table at Venta Moncalvillo, an airy, Michelin-starred restaurant whose menu incorporates ingredients from its outdoor garden.