Bodega Classica - Hacienda Lopez de Haro is just outside the walls of San Vicente de la Sonsierra…read moreand affords magnificent views of the Ebro river and the church/village. The wines are complex and quite enjoyable. The tour was the big attraction. The management was very accommodating of our schedule. Ainhoa Mouriz Ibarra was our guide for the tasting and the tour. This noble Basque woman spoke elegantly about the history of wine in La Rioja. Her presentation had us enthralled. We could have stayed much longer that the 2 hours we did. She graced us with a sampling of a non-traditional/experimental wine using 100 year old local Garnacha grapes. It was startling in its quality. It was ageing in a cement egg. We sampled right from the barrel. Not for sale. Later she took us to another experimental wine in another cement egg for a "barrel" tasting. Once again spectacular wine. Once again, not for sale. This tour reinforced the concept of the rules of La Rioja where the production that bears the DOC must be of an exact terroir and grape mix. That does not limit winemakers from showing their skills in other ways with other wines, just not for sale under he DOC label. Totally recommend, but plan ahead and contact them before you visit.

Beautiful ! Make sure you book a tour and spend some time at the wine bar after. Gorgeous property,…read moreexceptional wine, and friendly people. Cannot recommend this enough.

We worked with the representative Natalia to make arrangements for a tasting. We were very…read moreimpressed by the grounds and buildings of the facility. We were greeted by a employee who hosted the tasting. We tasted four reserva/gran reserva wines and found that the traditional Old World method of making these Riojan wines really did not match our palates. We are used to more rounder wines with less astringency. During the next week and 25 more La Rioja wineries, we would find the sharp demarcation between traditional wines and wines made in a more "modern" way (their term) which would match better with palates more accustomed to New World wines (more fruit and more fruit forward). These were certainly elegant wines and would be spectacular with the right meal. Drinking them without a meal left us wanting something different.

Small operation with no tasting fee. No tour fee. Really helpful people who worked with us on our…read moreschedule. Idoia was our tour guide and tasting manager. One of the best tours in three weeks of touring la Rioja. Spectacular wines. Nearly the best we tasted among the 30 wineries we visited. They age their wines longer than the required for the la Rioja DOC designation. It results in very special wines at a great price point. Examine the photos for the story of this 90 minute visit. Included is a way you can acquire these wines in the USA.

The winery began in the second half of the 19th century. At the present time, it is still a family…read morewinery in Rioja Alavesa, owned by Juan Pablo De Simón and Milans del Bosch, great-grandson of the founder of the winery. Now, the 5th generation: Pablo, Jaime and María de Simón are assuming the different responsibilities in the company. Our visit was coordinated by email and hosted by the family member, María de Simón Baranda. Maria explained the family history and the decision to bottle their wine under the name of Valserrano. They also have one wine that is labelled El Ribazo which is from a single 35 year old vineyard. We tasted two whites: 2017 Blanco, 2013 Blanco Gran Reserva. Not being white wine fans, we did find the Gran Reserva most pleasant and would recommend it to white wine people. In the reds, beside the El Ribazo, we tasted 2014 Valserrano Finca Monteviejo which is another single vineyard wine from 60 year old vines. Next to those two reds, we tasted their 2011 Gran Reserva, 2015 Graziano and 2016 Mazuela. We found the Mazuela super-dry. The overall winner on this tasting was the 2011 Gran Reserva. Produced from 90% Tempranillo and 10% Graciano from their best and oldest vineyards. After fermenting at a low temperature to preserve the fruit aromas, it has spent 2 and a half years in American (40%) and French (60%) oak casks and over 3 further years maturing in the bottle cellar. It is a spectacular wine and a great representation of Tempranillo from La Rioja. Once at home, we found it for $35 at Total Wine along with its younger brothers Reserva and Crianza which we did not taste during our visit. We believe from the experience we had, the Crianza and Reserva at much lower prices would be value purchases.

This was so amazing!!! This was my first stop in the Rioja region and a great way to start my…read moreoverall experience. The authenticity of this winery and their love for wine makes the experience. As someone who lives close to Napa and have gone to many wine regions, I love the intimacy, passion and dedication to keeping truth to wine making here at this winery. Had a wonderful one on one tour and tasting. I personally am coming home with 6 bottles all of which are not sold at the states. They partner with Total Wine (who I currently work for) and now I understand why! Pablo de Simón, a son of the owner, made this experience outstanding for me. The whole team welcomed me and were so proud to share their story, HIGHLY recommend!!!

Posada Mayor de Miguelos is both a Hotel and a Restaurant. The fancy Dining Room is located…read moreupstairs from the Hotel-side check-in, while a more energetic and fun Bistro and Bar is accessible from a parallel street. They also have an underground Bodega of which they offer tours and tastings. It's all contained within a beautifully decorated 17th Century Spanish Country House/Palace, with a relaxing and peaceful atmosphere. Gayle and I enjoyed a long lunch in a small outdoor Patio area between the Bar area and the Hotel. Also in-between was the Bodega area and for a time a fun bunch of folks whose wine tasting capped their adventurous time underground. We were both sorry that we missed our chance to do that too. We both ordered off the "Menu del Dia" and my oxtail steak was fabulous. Gayle was less impressed with her bland cod (is there any other kind?) and wished that she had ordered off the Menu. The couple at the next table did, and Gayle wanted what they were having! However, our shared bottle of wine was good, the Spanish Flan was delicious (as usual), and my young Bride looked radiant. One of our mutual observations was how cute Spanish children are, how handsome the Parents look, and how much doting was going on. We got our chance with a Toddler who came over to say Hi and a Mother that was loving every minute of it. It's amazing during times like this when our broken Spanish is understood by all.

Mayor de Migueloa is located in one of the most popular wine regions in Spain (if not the most…read morepopular). The name of the town is Laguardia, which used to be a defense post established in the 13th century. Laguardia provides a rich historical backdrop over looking Spanish wine country, which offers spectacular atmosphere and picturesque views. My friend and I stayed at Mayor de Migueloa for a weekend and really enjoyed our stay. It's a family run business with charming decor through out the establishment. The old walls and rustic feel of the place takes you back in time, although the hotel is quite cozy, modern and clean. The staff was extremely friendly and accommodating, and we also noticed the owner works closely with the staff on a daily basis, which probably accounts for the attention to detail. The restaurant was fantastic, and for any wine enthusiast, it's a perfect location to stay and travel in the region. Mayor wine is exceptional and I definitely took some home with me. Overall, we loved this place and enjoyed our visit and highly recommend its charm, service and location!

We spend three months near this region every year and were so pleased to find this hotel/restaurant…read morewhich opened about two years ago. The owner is an amazing woman who really enjoys what she is doing. In addition to a wonderful restaurant, they have a spa where you can get a massage, facial, etc. The hotel is in front of city hall and there is an Austrian clock that is fabulous. At certain times of the day, two Basque figurines come out and do a Basque dance. The city is hollowed and therefore no cars are allowed inside. Most every building has a wine cellar. In addition to the hotel, the family owns a restaurant, called El Bodegon which is a few blocks from the hotel. Lunch or dinner there is a most. From now on, instead of staying at other places in Elciego or Haro, this will be our home base for a visit to the Rioja.

Was a cool modern hotel in the midst of a tiny village in Rioja between Haro and Logrono. Was a…read morewonderful place, nice staff, and had a nice dinner at the hotel. The only negative was a very hard, uncomfortable bed, and could not view menu online. So I'll post photos... Bummer was the small village had no wine tasting till the next morning and you could only do a tour. I've toured many wineries in my day and just wanted to taste local wine, but it wasn't possible in this village. Kind of a bummer.

This is a beautiful little hotel in the center of the Rioja Alta region between Haro and Logrono…read more There are several tasting rooms within a walking distance which is rare for Spain. Wine tasting in Spain is not what it is in California in that the wineries are really difficult to get to without a car or through an expensive tour group. Therefore, being able to stay in an area where you can walk to tasting rooms is a nice find. Beware however that the hotel is one of only 2 places you can eat within a walking distance. In the church courtyard is the second. On the plus side, not only are the tasting rooms and wineries just a short walk away, so are some breathtaking vistas of the Northern Rioja vineyards as they back up to the mountains. Definitely worth a few days just to unwind in the natural beauty. Definitely take a short walk up the road behind the church toward the mountains early morning and your eyes and senses will be rewarded!