Embark on an exquisite journey with us, along with Andrea Pritzker MW. Indulge in top-class wines amid privileged settings for what should prove to be an elegant exploration of fine wine culture. 

The trip begins in Bordeaux and ends in Bilbao. On the way we visit the elegant seaside city of San Sebastian whose old town is the scene for a gourmet pintxos tour. Rioja is one of the world’s foremost wine regions and this is an amazing time to visit. We sample some of the best of old and new styles of wine in several of the best wineries. Riojan gastronomy is also highly prized and we sample traditional and Michelin star meals.

This trip is truly a food and wine lover’s delight!

Payments Policy 

Each tour has a deposit of €750 per person which is payable at booking. The balance of payment is due 90 days prior to the start of the tour.

Cancellation Policy

If you wish to cancel your booking, you need to confirm the cancellation in writing by email or letter. If you contact Iberian Wine Tours prior to confirming your cancellation we can advise you of the cancellation charges applicable to your situation. The cancellation charge is based on the number of days prior to the starting day of the trip booked. The charges are per person cancelling, as follows:

90 days or more – loss of deposit

89-60 days or more – 25%

59-30 days – 50%

29 days or less – 100%

Refund Policy
From time to time, tours do not reach the minimum number of bookings necessary to make the trip viable. We reserve the right to cancel or alter a tour in these circumstances. If we cancel the tour or make substantial alterations, we will advise you at least 60 days before departure and will offer you alternative dates or a full refund. 

Day 1 Sunday 27th April 

Check in to the 4 star Hotel du Seze in on the centre of Bordeaux from 3pm. Leave the hotel at 4pm for an introductory tour of the historic centre of Bordeaux, finishing at 5.30pm

Dinner in local brasserie. D

Day 2 Monday 28th April

We leave at 0930 to drive north into the Medoc along the left bank of the Gironde. Our first stop is at Pichon Baron at 1130, a picture postcard 2nd growth chateau in Pauillac with wonderful wines to match the setting. We enjoy a visit followed by lunch. We then go to Chateau Montrose (2nd Grand Cru Classé), one of the star wines and most beautiful wineries in the neighbouring St Estephe. Along the way we drive through the superstar villages and see some famous wine names at some of the world’s most desirable vineyards. before we head back to the hotel where the evening is free. B/L
 

Day 3 Tuesday 29th April

We leave at 0900 for a day centred on the medieval town of St.Emilion (1 hr drive), a world heritage site and perhaps the world’s most beautiful wine village, starting with a tour and tasting at Bellefont Belcier (Chateau Tour St Christophe) at 1000, a St Emilion Grand Cru Classe owned by the Harvard alumnus Kwok family. After a short visit (in practice a walk past) to the monolithic church in St Emilion, we lunch in the 2 star Michelin restaurant La Table de Pavie at 12.30pm. Our afternoon visit would then be to Chateau Pavie at 3.30pm, the largest of the Premier Grand Cru Classe estates and one of the elite names of St Emilion. After our return to the city, dinner is informal at the delightful Baud et Millet bistro which specialises in a vast range of French cheeses. We meet in reception at 7.15pm B/L/D

Day 4 Wednesday 30th April

We leave at 0930 to head south, stopping in Sauternes where we visit Chateau Guiraud at 1030 to savour the tranquility of the region and the noble rot wines before lunch in the excellent La Chapelle, a fitting conclusion to the Bordeaux part of our journey. We then have close to a 3 hour drive to the Basque country for an afternoon check in to the Londres y Inglaterra Hotel, overlooking the stunning La Concha beach in San Sebastian. In the evening we enjoy a gourmet pintxos (tapas) tour of the old town to savour modern and traditional style tapas and wines to match in just about the best place in the world to enjoy them. We meet at reception at 6.30pm. B/L/D

Day 5 Thursday 1st May  

We depart at 1030 for a morning visit to top txakoli producer, Ameztoi in the lovely Basque coastal town of Getaria .Txakoli is the most Basque of wines, a light spritzy white produced from local grapes grown on hillsides overlooking the Cantabrian Sea in a stunning location and we try some local tuna at the tasting. We then return to San Sebastian for a fine wine lunch at Rekondo at 1.30pm (1.15 for the cellar visit if we can), which has Spain’s most extensive and best known wine cellar, named by Wine Enthusiast as one of the world’s top 5 restaurant wine cellars. We match some stunning wines from Bordeaux and Rioja to a sumptuous Basque menu after a private visit to the cellar. We return to the hotel in the afternoon and the evening is free. B/L

Day 6 Friday 2nd May

Leave San Sebastian at 0900, for a drive south to Haro, the capital of the Rioja wine region. We start with a visit to Roda at 1030, a recent Riojan icon that showcases the modern style of wine and winery that challenges the traditional styles epitomised by its neighbours in the Barrio de la Estacion. We follow Roda with a visit to the old school at Muga at 1pm, the perfect place for a traditional roast lamb lunch at the winery, accompanied by the top Muga wines. After lunch, we head into the Basque part of Rioja to the village that has the most wineries in Spain (45), Villabuena de Alava where we check in at the designer 4 star Viura Hotel. We enjoy a simple dinner at 8pm with wines from the village this evening. B/L/D

Day 7 Saturday 3rd May 

We start with a short visit to the family owned Luis Cañas winery in the village at 1015/1030, the house wine in many 3 star Michelin restaurants across Spain and a great location to savour the terrain from the spectacularly appointed tasting room. Lunch is free and we may take a walk in the lovely town of Laguardia before going back to the hotel. We then make a short drive to the next village to visit Marques de Riscal for a 5.30pm visit and tasting in the Gehry designed city of wine before we move on to an dinner at 7pm at Ventamoncalvillo (2* Michelin and Michelin Green Star) in the smallest village in the world to have a Michelin star. Sophisticated modern Riojan cuisine that accentuates local seasonal ingredients with imaginative wine pairings. A fine way to end the tour. B/D

Day 8 Sunday 4th May 

Transfer to Bilbao and end of trip.