«Wine gladdens the heart of man.» It is said in the Bible, in the Psalms. It is understood as a gift from the gods to celebrate life. One can turn to Dionysus, the Greek god of wine, fertility, theater and ecstasy, to speak of the fruit of the vine and its mysteries. For example, now, that it is harvest season and everything becomes dionysian, without understanding it as a Dionysian frenzy, simply pleasure and a few good sips of Epicureanism.
The wineries live this moment as the great celebration. It is the date marked in red on the calendar. The hour of truth. When all the year’s work in the vineyard is transformed into the prized nectar. Only that this time the drink is not reserved for the inhabitants of Olympus, as in mythology, but for ordinary mortals, who can enjoy the process thanks to the different enotourism experiences.
These are five proposals to live the harvest with the five senses. From Toledo to the Matarraña comarca in Teruel, passing through mythical territories such as Rioja, Ribera del Duero and Priorat.
Martúe Wineries, in La Guardia de Toledo
Martúe Wineries, born from the hands of Fausto González, have been crafting their wines for 25 years. Since 2009 they are Pago Campo de La Guardia, one of the 19 estates in Spain that hold this exquisite designation. It is in La Guardia, a town known as the Balcony or the Gate of La Mancha, perched on a hill and facing the endless plains of the Mesa de Ocaña. In its castle, of which only ruins remain, the Cid Campeador sought refuge. It stands, and the ensemble is dominated by the Church of Our Lady of the Assumption, with a magnificent altarpiece, and the Jaenes Palace, which houses the Ethnological Museum.
Martúe Wineries, in Toledo, are preparing their harvest festival.
Martúe allows you to experience the harvest firsthand on Saturday, September 12. The day to follow step by step the winemaking will begin at 10:00 a.m. Participants will be able to pick grapes, discover the different grape varieties, taste them, and, as a finale, enjoy a picnic, accompanied, of course, by a wine. And with a surprise gift. All of this in an impressive natural setting. Where: Campo de la Guardia, s/n. Toledo. Price: 70 euros per person.
Montecillo Wineries, in La Rioja
To walk through all the stages involved in the harvest and travel back to the origins of wine can also be done at Montecillo Wineries, which prides itself on being the third-oldest winery in the DOCa Rioja and makes its traditional guided tour an immersive experience, with a route that adapts to the pace of the harvest.
It is about getting up close to the different phases that a new vintage goes through, from its birth. They insist that no two days are the same, because it is a living experience, evolving in step with the work of the technical and field teams. It will be open while the harvest lasts, September and October. It will begin in the winery to learn about the barrel room, the manual bottling line, and the barrel workshop.
The tasting with an aperitif is the crowning moment at Montecillo Wineries.
Next, an audiovisual experience in which Celestino Navajas, its founder, will review the history of these spaces. Tasting the wine at its origin is the next step, sampling grapes from freshly harvested bunches, Tempranillo, Mazuelo or Graciano, or the must drawn directly from the winery’s tanks, white, rosé or red. As a finale, a tasting with an aperitif. Where: Ctra. Fuenmayor km 3. Navarrete (La Rioja). Price: 24 euros, Monday to Friday; 30 euros, Saturdays, Sundays and holidays. Children 6 to 17 years old, 10 euros.
Torre del Marqués, in the Matarraña
It will be during the first three Saturdays of September when the hotel Torre del Marqués will throw open its doors to reveal the process from within, as well as the relationship between landscape, grape varieties and the territory. It is when the Mas de Llucia vineyards reach their optimal ripeness. The harvest begins with a new vintage on the horizon. The plan includes a 4×4 tour around the estate, its organic vineyard that is an integral part of the property, to discover firsthand how each site influences the grape. The aim is to be part of the harvest: touch the earth, pick the grapes and see how this work is deeply linked to the rhythms of nature.
At Torre del Marqués you can also harvest the grapes and follow the process.
No falta la cata en la bodega, de cuatro vinos ecológicos elaborados en la finca. Ni el menú degustación maridado con sus propios vinos. La propuesta se puede alargar con una estancia en este hotel rodeado de viñedos y naturaleza mediterránea. Son 200 hectáreas a disposición del huésped, que puede seguir disfrutando de la gastronomía en el restaurante La Atalaya del Tastavins. Una torre situada en el este de la provincia de Teruel que colinda con una de las joyas naturales de la península ibérica: el Parque Natural de los Puertos del Beceite. Where: Paraje Torre del Marqués. Ctra. Fuentespalda a Rafales, km 2.2. Monroyo (Teruel). Price: 115 euros.
Fernández Rivera Family, in Ribera del Duero
On the banks of the Duero also await wine lovers with open arms to share with them the full process of its production and the passion that those in charge put into every bottle through artisanal methods. Specifically, at Condado de Haza, a castellano château that since 1988, as they emphasize, pays homage to the terroir, with 100% organic production.
A walk through the Condado de Haza vineyards on the occasion of the harvest.
The Fernández Rivera Family has organized for Saturday, September 12 an experience around this winemaking tradition. A day at this Ribera del Duero winery that starts at 10:30 a.m. with reception and welcome, includes participation in the harvest, a barbecue-style lunch paired with a selection of their wines at the Condado de Haza viewpoint, and a visit to the winery. It will conclude at 5:00 p.m. Where: Ctra. Horra, s/n. Roa (Burgos). Price: 80 euros.
Perinet, in the Priorat
“A journey in which you will experience the pleasure of our handcrafted wines and discover the mysteries of the great wines of the Priorat, the fruit of an ancient tradition and heroic viticulture.” This is how Perinet describes the harvest festival they have prepared for September 19. “A discovery journey,” they continue, “that appeals to all five senses.” It is no surprise, because it is about getting to know the llicorella (slate soil), the terroirs, the history, the customs and the traditions of the Priorat, the region nestled between the Campo de Tarragona and the Lands of the Ebro.
The hillside vineyards of Perinet, in the Priorat.
Here, in the Tarragona lands, the enotourist encounters excellent wines, wineries to visit, and a great diversity of landscapes. In Perinet, field experts and the winery team act as guides through the fascinating world of wine. They have prepared for the occasion a traditional lunch on the terrace, their Wine Terrace, amid wild nature, where local and seasonal delights are combined with their wines. From 11:00 to 17:00 h. Where: Ctra. de Poboleda T-702, km 1.6. Poboleda (Tarragona). Price: 150 euros per adult and 75 euros per child (7 to 17 years).
