Requena Wineries Premium Full Day
Option 3 or 2 wineries
The Requena Wineries Premium 3 bodega tour tastes an exhaustive list of top organic red, rosado plus long aged vintage Cava dry wines ; promoting local varieties like Bobal, Garnacha /Tintorera & French nobles such as Syrah, Cab Franc/Sauv. & Viogner. I promise you a fantastic day tasting an exciting range of wines from the “Old World”.
Your guiding is with a professional WSET/Somm. who now also makes his own Bobal wines. This is a revealing behind the scenes experience and quite unlike a typical tour; learning from a wine making perspective why wines have the subtle differences from the soils to techniques in the winery. Cava is also important, the region climatically suited for sparkling wines with bodegas now finally producing more serious, vintage cuvees.
You may also choose a shorter 2 winery itinerary.
Heading west out of Valencia, we arrive at the high plain vineyards of Utiel-Requena. Lying some 70+km from the mediterranean it´s wine territory “par excellence” whose innovative vintners produce medal winning wines, puntuated by Parker, Sucking et all internationally….if that matters to you of course.
The thriving market for Spanish wines has led to a tremendous lift in quality of sleepy appellations like Utiel-Requena.
The area nowadays boasts stunning reds,mineral & exotic fruity dry whites, crisp dry rosé & vintage creamy Cava. So much has changed in quality ..even in the last few years it´s remarkable.
Enjoy "generous" guided tastings of 16+ wines including my own Bobal 2022 vintage wines from a 1hct "centenary" bush vine lieu-dit!
We visit 3 unique wineries; an eclectic mix of garagiste bodega with minimal intervention & restored old bodegas with charming surroundings housing Bordeaux know how. They produce some of the finest wines; several pertaining to category DO Pago for select Cru vineyards & vintage “Cava de Requena” wines.
Tastings are with maridaje of DOP embutido, cured cheese & estate olive oil, your tour including lunch fare + local wine at our chosen restaurant & visit medieval Requena town.
You often meet owners & taste more wines than our itinerary!
Itinerary example overview
- We commence our morning visits with two vineyards; this may be a smaller garagiste bodega with artisan wines focusing on autoctono varieties from old vines. Practice organic dry farming using autoctonous yeasts and achieve an equilibrium from the very low yields of concentrated berries. Well rooted in the landscape you will appreciate these relics of viticulture with tastings of aged dry red, white & rosé & my own Martán Bobal pertaining to 1 hct old vine plot..wines served with local embutido/cured cheese.
Alternatively we may visit an organic family Pago Estate explaining their viticulture/techniques with use of French,USA oak & clay amphorae. Their limestone based cru Pago de Los Balagueses, produces exceptional Syrah, Garnacha & Chardonney & our premium tastings feature these wines with maridaje cured cheese, charcouteria, estate olive oil. Guided tasting in salon overlooking vineyards & often joined by the owner/winemaker to chat to you.
Visit approx. 1.5hrs
- Our next winery (or 1st on 2 winery tour) winery, a Pago Estate is a revamped farmhouse winery. The tour is a wine 101 of interesting facts often not explained from viticulture to wine & Cava making with guided tastings of 5+ top Pago wines & a special Cava G.Rsva. I tailor the wines to suit your tastes. A relaxed visit with time in vineyard, see the various types of fermentation vessel, barrel aging & fudre oaks explained with impressive barrel hall.
Step down to the cool Cava cellar, Spain´s only traditional method sparkling Denominacion de Origin ..so what makes tiny bubbles & what´s the deal with Cava vs Champagne or Prosecco? We tell you the secrets. You visit the owners restored home & antique cellars circa 1870, modern art works plus other quirky items ..followed by guided tasting of the top wines with maridaje charcouteria, cheeses & estate olive oil …a great selection for you with notable lift in quality in recent vintages! Plus occasional older vintages from owners collection!
Visit approx. 2.5hrs
Almost lunchtime, so we visit historic Requena town for a quality lunch & local wine, café & liquer. Refreshed we walk about the small town & view it´s Gothic churches, castel & old plaza . A Moors cave visit is often possible subject to timings.
- Our afternoon or 3rd winery may visit a historic regenerated chateau property with heritage funded in 1901, former Dominio de Arenal, now housing a modern avantgarde winery but also focusing on autoctono Bobal, Pinot Noir for Cava Rosé & interesting rare grape varieties from old plots OR may be Bodega Mustiguillo; Pago pioneer in Bobal with exceptional wines, property & rigourous research to understand vineyard soil to vine compatibility/training. All tastings of the top organic wines of the wineries inc. maridaje queso,embutido & chocolate & guided visits of their impressive cellars, arriving back at Valencia 1830-1930hrs approx. or earlier on request.
Note – As our tours are by private appointment we may switch bodegas to another of status such as Hispano-Suiza etc.. to offer you the best tour on the day. Tours are flexible as bodegas are not always available for our private tour format.
Rich in a culture, Requena has a history of winemaking from the Phoenicians, Romans to the Moors/Christians. Indeed you may visit the 10thC Moors caves still with clay amphorae.
Local gastronomy is based on strong robust fare & famous for it´s cured artisan sausages but also a new, avantgarde club of young chefs with creative dishes is taking over; similiarly, recently graduated winemakers are releasing finer, fresher wines!
Wineries use traditional methods of production with the lastest technology & a modern “toque” to create intriguing wines especially from the smaller micro-bodegas we visit .
Many wines are still fairly unknown outside Spain but Requena is gaining stature; re-imaging its fine tuned Bobal & Merseguera, consistant accolades from Robert Parker guru, Luis Gutiérrez plus recent grant for “Cava de Requena” confirming it´s status.
* FOTO GALLERY BELOW –
Prices
Private tour prices variable on no. persons attending. Discount for larger groups.
Inc. quality lunch & DO Utiel-Requena wine, Requena visit, guided vineyard/bodega + premium tastings.
Itinerary
- Pickup hotel in Valencia 08:50hrs
- 1000hrs Morning wineries guided visits, premium tastings 5+ wines, maridaje, olive oil + *option 2nd winery premium tastings 4-5 wines inc. maridajé.
- Short historic walk La Vila, 14thC Churches, Palaces, Castle, Court Spanish Inquisition etc.
- Quality lunch in Requena/Utiel, DO Utiel-Requena wine, min.water, cafe/liquer
- Afternoon vineyard/winery visit, premium tastings 5+ wines/Cava, queso/embutido.
- Return arrival in Valencia city approx. 18:30-19:30hrs. or Choose optional overnight at winery hotel, pls enquire!
DURATION: Full day 8-10hrs variable on 2 vs 3 wineries visited.
Please ask for availability & tour options/prices as can be tailor made for you.