5 Wine Tastings Worldwide Worth Flying For

1.Architectural Rioja Small Group Wine Tour with Lunch from Bilbao

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 128 reviews · 8 hours (approx.) · from $296Our pick

From Bilbao, join a group of up to seven for an 8-hour Rioja tour with guides such as Marina, Sara, Jon, or Irene. Visit the bold wineries of Marqués de Riscal and Ysios, taste local wines, enjoy tapas in Laguardia, and ride through the Sierra de Cantabria with all transport arranged.

“Our small group with Marina was fantastic! She had so much information and was excited to share it with us. The wineries and architecture were amazing! Great tour and guide!”

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2.Alicante: Old Winery with Tastings & Gaudí’s style of Church

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 91 reviews · 3 hours · from $69

Travel from Alicante to Novelda with an English-speaking guide such as Yevgen or Stas. Visit a winery founded in 1707, see its fermentation, barrel, and bottling rooms, then taste white, rosé, and red wines with snacks. The outing also includes Mola Castle and a striking Gaudí-style church, with hotel pickup and return.

“Great tour. Yevgen was a great guide. Extremely friendly, giving a great service and experience. Very knowledgeable about the process & area, giving great pieces of information as you go. Would certainly recommend to anyone thinking of doing the tour.”

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3.Rioja Architecture and Wine Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 58 reviews · 8 hours · from $288

Spend eight hours with guide Marina exploring Rioja Alavesa from Bilbao. See the bold architecture of Marques de Riscal and Ysios, taste several Rioja wines, walk medieval Laguardia, and enjoy three traditional pintxos with wine. If a winery is full, the tour may substitute Javier San Pedro, a boutique cellar with mountain views.

“Wonderful tour with good company and Marina was the best tourguide!”

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4.Alicante: Old Winery with Tastings & Gaudí’s style of Church

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 37 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $64Best value

Travel from Alicante to Novelda with a guide such as Yevgen or Stas for a three-hour visit to a winery founded in 1707. Tour the vineyard, old house, and production rooms, then taste white, rosé, and red wine with small snacks. The outing also includes Santa Magdalena Church, built in Gaudí’s style, and Mola Castle.

“The trip went really smoothly, safely and on schedule. Our driver was very friendly, calm and had great knowledge. The winery was beautiful, big and interesting. Our winery guide seemed to be in a hurry - we would have loved to hear more about the wines we were tasting and to ask some questions. The red wine was served cold. The driver also took us to see the nearby church, Santa Magdalena, which was a nice extra to the trip. Overall a great and fun experience. Thank you.”

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5.Marques de Riscal and Ysios Architecture Wine Tour w/Lunch, SS

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 29 reviews · 9 hours (approx.) · from $347

Travel from San Sebastian into Rioja for two striking winery visits, five wine tastings, a medieval Laguardia photo stop, and a three-course lunch with wine. Your English-speaking guide, possibly Anton, handles the long drive and explains Basque culture, wine, and architecture in a group capped at eight.

“Anton was great from get go. We had an awesome wine making tour and tasting at Marques del Riscal with its amazing architecture! We were another one of a kind architecture at Ysios winery. We then finished the tour with Basque fare for lunch!”

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