Spain Wine Tours: Rioja, Ribera del Duero & Beyond
Tempranillo country, from the medieval villages of Rioja to the Duero River valley, personally guided by Claudio and our team.
Spain’s Wine Regions We Visit
Our Spain journeys focus on northern Spain, where Tempranillo reaches its greatest expression and centuries of winemaking tradition meet some of Europe’s most daring wine architecture.
Rioja
Spain’s most famous wine region follows the Ebro River across three zones: Rioja Alta, Rioja Alavesa and Rioja Oriental. We visit family bodegas and great historic houses around Haro, whose Barrio de la Estación gathers several legendary wineries within walking distance, as well as the medieval hilltop town of Laguardia, with its underground cellars. In Logroño, the tapas bars of Calle Laurel are the perfect end to a day of tastings. Rioja’s aging categories, Crianza, Reserva and Gran Reserva, make it a fascinating place to learn how time shapes a wine.
Ribera del Duero
Along the Duero River in Castilla y León, high-altitude vineyards around 750 to 900 meters produce some of Spain’s most powerful and elegant Tempranillo, known locally as Tinto Fino. We visit boutique wineries and renowned estates, the castle of Peñafiel with its wine museum, and the medieval underground cellars beneath Aranda de Duero.
Rueda
Home of Verdejo, Spain’s most refreshing white: aromatic, herbal and crisp, and the perfect counterpoint to the reds of the Duero.
Toro
Bold, sun-drenched Tinta de Toro from very old vines, in one of Castilla’s most historic wine towns.
Cigales
A small region just north of Valladolid with a long tradition of rosados and old underground cellars carved into the hillsides.
Spain’s Signature Wines
Tempranillo
The backbone of Rioja and Ribera del Duero, also known as Tinto Fino and Tinta de Toro: cherry, leather and spice, with great aging potential.
Garnacha
Juicy and generous, often blended with Tempranillo in Rioja.
Graciano & Mazuelo
Rioja’s traditional blending grapes, adding freshness, color and structure.
Verdejo
Rueda’s crisp, aromatic white, a favorite at lunch on warm days.
Small-Group Departures in Spain
Join a group of 12 to 18 wine lovers on a journey through Rioja and the Duero, led personally by Claudio or his partner. Spain is our second home.
Private Spain Wine Tours
Travelling with friends, family or your wine club? We design private trips through Rioja and Ribera del Duero on your dates, with the same wineries and hotels we use for our own groups.
Suggested Spain Wine Itineraries
Our small-group departures follow a set route; private trips are designed around you. These are the combinations our guests enjoy most.
3 Days: Rioja
Haro’s historic wineries, Laguardia’s underground cellars and a night of tapas on Logroño’s Calle Laurel.
4 Days: Ribera del Duero and Rueda
Tempranillo along the Duero, the wine museum in Peñafiel castle, Aranda’s underground cellars and Verdejo in Rueda.
7 to 10 Days: Northern Spain Wine Journey
Rioja, Ribera del Duero, Rueda, Toro and Cigales in one trip, the route of our Spain small-group departures.
Planning Your Spain Wine Tour
Getting There
Rioja is easily reached from Bilbao, while Ribera del Duero, Rueda, Toro and Cigales sit around Valladolid, within reach of Madrid by high-speed train. Our journeys link the two regions, so you travel through the heart of Spanish wine country without worrying about the logistics.
When to Go
Autumn is our favorite season: in September and October the harvest is under way and the vineyards turn gold and red. Spring, from April to June, brings mild weather and green vineyards.
Rioja or Ribera del Duero?
Both are built on Tempranillo, but they taste different. Rioja is known for elegant, long-aged wines with classic Crianza, Reserva and Gran Reserva categories. Ribera del Duero, higher and more extreme in climate, produces deeper, more powerful reds. Tasting them side by side is one of the highlights of our journeys. Read more in Malbec vs Tempranillo.
Why Travel Spain with Borravino
Personally guided
Claudio or his partner leads every Spain departure.
Wineries we know
Family bodegas and great estates we visit year after year.
Small groups
12 to 18 guests, so every winery can welcome us properly.
Food & Wine in Northern Spain
Northern Spain is one of the best places in the world to eat. In Rioja we pair the wines with pintxos, lamb chops grilled over vine cuttings and patatas a la riojana. In Castilla, the classic is lechazo, milk-fed lamb roasted in wood-fired ovens, with Ribera del Duero on the table. Add Iberian ham, Manchego, local cheeses and long lunches at historic restaurants and modern kitchens.
Spain Wine Tour FAQ
Who guides the Spain wine tours?
Claudio, Borravino’s founder, or his partner personally guides every Spain departure.
How big are the groups?
Between 12 and 18 guests, small enough for family wineries to welcome us properly.
Can I book a private Spain wine tour?
Yes. We design private trips through Rioja and Ribera del Duero for couples, families, friends and wine clubs, on your dates.
Do I need to speak Spanish?
No. Every journey is guided in English, and we handle all the conversations with wineries, hotels and restaurants.
Start Planning Your Spain Wine Journey
Tell us your dates and which regions you’re dreaming of, and we’ll reply personally.