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wine tasting on the Camino Frances

JillGat

la tierra encantada
Time of past OR future Camino
2018
I saw this: https://www.cellartours.com/spain/wine-tours

Has anyone seen any write-ups in any wine magazines about the wineries/bodegas along the Camino? Histories, families, tastings, etc. I know this may jar the sensibilities of those who walk the Camino as a purely spiritual experience, but please let me know if you've seen anything like this because, if it doesn't exist, I may like to write it. Thanks.
 
€2,-/day will present your project to thousands of visitors each day. All interested in the Camino de Santiago.
This is of high importance to me too! Also I understand some regions are known for their cider. So please any info - enquiring minds need to know!

Also has most of Spanish wine switched to screw tops - or will I need to pack a corkscrew?
 
€2,-/day will present your project to thousands of visitors each day. All interested in the Camino de Santiago.
This is of high importance to me too! Also I understand some regions are known for their cider. So please any info - enquiring minds need to know!

Also has most of Spanish wine switched to screw tops - or will I need to pack a corkscrew?

Not too sure about wine tasting etc. But I made a lot of friends carrying a corkscrew!

Davey
 
St James' Way - Self-guided 4-7 day Walking Packages, Reading to Southampton, 110 kms
This is of high importance to me too! Also I understand some regions are known for their cider. So please any info - enquiring minds need to know!

Also has most of Spanish wine switched to screw tops - or will I need to pack a corkscrew?
Cider (sidra) is more or less Asturian drink but you can find sidrerias in other parts of Spain also. If you would walk Norte or Salvador or Primitivo there are plenty of sidra even in usual bars.

Bring a corkscrew. You never know :)
 
I never did care much for the sidra on the Norte. It tasted too much like weak, fermented, spoiled apple juice...but I guess that's pretty much what it is! ;) But I did enjoy watching "the pour". :)
 
Not too sure about wine tasting etc. But I made a lot of friends carrying a corkscrew!

Davey

Might have to put that on the "must pack" list - honestly I haven't bought a bottle of wine in NZ with a cork for many years- Europe needs to catch up on the technology!
 
A selection of Camino Jewellery
This is of high importance to me too! Also I understand some regions are known for their cider. So please any info - enquiring minds need to know!

Also has most of Spanish wine switched to screw tops - or will I need to pack a corkscrew?

When you go, don't neglect the Bierzo wines, including whites. I stopped in tasting rooms along the way and no other pilgrims were there. There is good wine all along the route, not only in Rioja. There is also a very nice wine museum right on the Camino. I had hoped to stop in some of my favorite wineries in Rioja (Campo Viejo, Marque de Riscal, and others), but unfortunately arrived in Logrono during their "wine festival" which was such insanity, I had to hole up in the albergue (I got the last - 80th - bed in the municipal) with take-out tapas, because the crowds were nuts in the streets. Peeing and passing out all over the place. So got out of town first thing in the morning (the town looked like a war zone after the festivities... Spaniards know how to party).

Attached is a pic of my pack outside a tasting room (note the wine glass handily carried by a strap on the outside of my pack).
bierzo wine.jpg
Thanks all for the tips and send more!
 
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Are most of the smaller wineries open to the public? I think I've found another reason to walk fewer kms a day!
Not only that. If the owners are home they would offer you a glass of wine anyway. Or any other small wine producer along the way. Happened to me many times that I was offered a glass of wine and cold water poured in my plastic flask. More so on less walked Caminos.
 
The focus is on reducing the risk of failure through being well prepared. 2nd ed.
I thought the Camino was for a wine tasting, region by region. I have had 6 euro bottles that would cost $100's in the US, taken a photo of the label and found they are not exported. I keep going back for the food and wine, the walking is just a daily diversion.
 
I thought the Camino was for a wine tasting, region by region. I have had 6 euro bottles that would cost $100's in the US, taken a photo of the label and found they are not exported. I keep going back for the food and wine, the walking is just a daily diversion.

And even the ones that are imported I think are different than the same brands you taste in Spain. Of course setting makes a difference, but I do wonder if they export a different quality than they keep.
 
Get a spanish phone number with Airalo. eSim, so no physical SIM card. Easy to use app to add more funds if needed.
And even the ones that are imported I think are different than the same brands you taste in Spain. Of course setting makes a difference, but I do wonder if they export a different quality than they keep.
Jill, I couldn't agree with you more. The bottles I buy in the US say they are "estate bottled" and yet I am left wondering if there is some guy in the production line joking to himself that this "s**t" is for the Americans.
I had a wonderful wine from Orio, a small region in Navarra/Basque Country. I have researched it and it just doesn't exist. I had a very heavily sedimented red in Astorga which was like the nectar of the Gods, I failed to take a picture of the label. I have asked several wine shops if they know of a Spanish wine that meets that description and there answer is usually why would you want to buy a wine with sediment. Duh, because it is still fermenting. You are right, setting makes a "the" difference therefore spend as much time as possible in Spain and drink the country dry.
 
I didn't buy any Spanish wine when home because we have so much good wine here in Slovenia but I noticed Castro Viejo a few times in malls. I think I might do an experiment next time going to Spain. Since I always check-in my backpack it's no problem to bring a bottle of Spanish wine back to Spain. I will compare them ;)

Setting is important as @JillGat added but in this case the setting will be the same. I just hope that after drying two bottles I'll remember to post the results of the experiment here :D
 
I didn't buy any Spanish wine when home because we have so much good wine here in Slovenia but I noticed Castro Viejo a few times in malls. I think I might do an experiment next time going to Spain. Since I always check-in my backpack it's no problem to bring a bottle of Spanish wine back to Spain. I will compare them ;)

Setting is important as @JillGat added but in this case the setting will be the same. I just hope that after drying two bottles I'll remember to post the results of the experiment here :D
Please post the results.
I will be in Biarritz in October and bring back to the US my 2 bottle allocation. I think I'll try the same experiment. Not exactly a vertical tasting is it?
 
St James' Way - Self-guided 4-7 day Walking Packages, Reading to Southampton, 110 kms
When we visited a large bodega in the Rias Baixas region of Galicia (Paco y Lola) they explained that they do bottle different blends for different markets. The example they gave is that their sweeter blends of Albarino are very successful in the Asian markets, so they bottle differently for Asia vs. the US vs. Spain.

Also in Galicia there are several bodegas where wine is made and they also run a B&B on the property, so that is a lot of fun! For me would make for a great post-camino stay!
 
When we visited a large bodega in the Rias Baixas region of Galicia (Paco y Lola) they explained that they do bottle different blends for different markets. The example they gave is that their sweeter blends of Albarino are very successful in the Asian markets, so they bottle differently for Asia vs. the US vs. Spain.

Also in Galicia there are several bodegas where wine is made and they also run a B&B on the property, so that is a lot of fun! For me would make for a great post-camino stay!
Thanks for that heads up. If you have any names for the BnB's let me know.
I went to the home of Tabasco on Avery Island, Louisiana. They actually have signage on the conveyor belt that indicates where the batch that is being bottled is headed. They never said they change the formula for the region where it is headed. That would be an interesting question to ask.
The only thing that has changed in their 150 year history is they have been forced to grow some of their peppers in Central American countries to meet the demand for their product. To be true to the brand the seeds for the peppers all come from the original source and the process for curing of the sauce is still done as it has been for 150 years in one place, Avery Island with its salt caves in barrels they have used for years.
 
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I thought the Camino was for a wine tasting, region by region. I have had 6 euro bottles that would cost $100's in the US, taken a photo of the label and found they are not exported. I keep going back for the food and wine, the walking is just a daily diversion.

Isn't the walking an enabler for the daily eating and drinking? I'm trying hard to lose weight before I travel (from me not the backpack) - because I LOVE Spanish food and wine - but I don't want to end up putting on weight - hence the walking!
 
The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.
Isn't the walking an enabler for the daily eating and drinking? I'm trying hard to lose weight before I travel (from me not the backpack) - because I LOVE Spanish food and wine - but I don't want to end up putting on weight - hence the walking!
And why you want to lose your weight before even get to walk???
Wait. All things demands some time :)
Spain takes and gives ;)
 
And why you want to lose your weight before even get to walk???
Wait. All things demands some time :)
Spain takes and gives ;)
Because I have stuffed knees - the less weight they have to carry the better - its already a lot better as I'm down 13 kg in the last 18 months - but another 5kg would be nice - I'll still be technically obese - but I think my knees would be happy!
 
When we visited a large bodega in the Rias Baixas region of Galicia (Paco y Lola) they explained that they do bottle different blends for different markets. The example they gave is that their sweeter blends of Albarino are very successful in the Asian markets, so they bottle differently for Asia vs. the US vs. Spain.

Also in Galicia there are several bodegas where wine is made and they also run a B&B on the property, so that is a lot of fun! For me would make for a great post-camino stay!

If you can remember where they were or the names, I would love to know for my "research"!
 
Ideal pocket guides for during & after your Camino. Each weighs only 1.4 oz (40g)!
I'm happy to share @biarritzdon & @JillGat : There are two that we have stayed at, both are just under an hour away from Santiago. Lagar da Costa is good for exploring more touristy areas (Cambados and O Grove) and proximity to many other wineries, but Entre Os Rios is a perfect tranquil nature escape with incredible hospitality. Both have great wine!

Enoturismo Lagar da Costa –A Casa Rural (Bed & Breakfast) in a typical Galician granite house with 7 guest rooms, a dining room / sitting room on the ground level, a beautiful yard with a pool, and the winery itself. It is nicely situated in the countryside between Cambados and O Grove with views of Isla Toxa, prefect for exploring the area (there are a lot of wineries in this area). Their wine (mostly whites) is very highly regarded and the tour of the winery quite interesting (but was in Spanish). Our room was very comfortable and we enjoyed a plentiful breakfast down in the common area (also utilized through the day and evening as a sitting room with a refrigerator and with drinks available on the honor system). Their website is in English, but during our stay and winery tour they didn’t speak English. Weird side note: the neighboring house had THE BIGGEST CHICKENS I've ever seen in my life! I couldn't stop watching them from our window on the 2nd floor! :p

Entre Os Rios – Another beautiful Casa Rural also in a typical Galician granite house, this time with part of the main building actually an old mill built over one of the streams (one of the “rios” from the name which means “Between the Rivers”). They have 6 guest rooms, including one located in a cottage a bit away from the main house, a couple in the main house and a couple in the building next to the main building. This place is located up the hill and through the woods from a small port town, A Pobra do Caraminal. We traveled here as a family so we had two rooms. Teresa welcomed us warmly and treated us as if we were guests in her own home … well, we stayed in a room in the main house which actually IS her home. Breakfast there is incredible – in the warmer months it’s served out on the veranda but in the colder months (we visited in late April) in the old fashioned lareira (a Galician kitchen with an open hearth). Teresa sets the fire and lays out plates of freshly sliced jamón (they have a leg in their kitchen), along with her homemade cake, jam and fresh squeezed fruit juice (lemon when we were there). Breakfast starts after 9:30 to allow her time to run down into town for hearty fresh bread from the bakery. One of their sons who lives nearby, José Crusat, is now the winemaker taking over for his father. In addition to Albariño, they are really proud to grow a little known Galician grape called “Raposo” (also grown near Betanzos on the Camino Inglés where it is known as “Branco Lexítimo”). José speaks nearly perfect English and loves showing guests around the vineyards and talking about the wine they produce … and he is VERY generous with samples of all of the wines and even his special batch of orujo. Their wines are extremely prized and produced in very small quantities. My favorites are the Vulpes Vulpes (100% Raposo) and KomoKabras (100% Albariño). The evening we did our wine visit, it ended up going kind of late so we drove down the hill into A Pobra to this local bar that makes the most amazing bocadillos con pulpo y queso San Simón (a Galician smoked cheese), called Pulpería Bar Nuevo. We ordered sandwiches for everyone (the 4 of us in my family and José and his family) and enjoyed them in the comfortable family room of the main house with a bottle of the house wine. The Ruta del Río Pedrás hiking trail passes through the property (as does the Río Pedrás itself) and there are some interesting sights to see on this peninsula (called the Barbanza), such as the Dunes of Corrubedo, the Castro de Baroña, and many, many quiet beaches.
 
Cider (sidra) is more or less Asturian drink but you can find sidrerias in other parts of Spain also. If you would walk Norte or Salvador or Primitivo there are plenty of sidra even in usual bars.

Bring a corkscrew. You never know :)
While traveling in a car from Portugal to Spain this year, my wife and I stopped for Lunch at a Sideria in Vilaviciosa, Asturias on the Norte route. I think the name was Casa Cortina. They had a tour of the factory and this included a drinks voucher for the restaurant. Foodwise they did a simple Menu del Dia which most of the Pilgrims,Truckers,Tradesmen were tucking into. The place was very popular. They also had a more extensive a la carte menu and a fantastic South American wood fired grill actually being run by a South American Amerindian. I had some of the best veal ribs I have ever tasted off the Grill. I also find the Asturian Cider a little lacking in flavour, however the tradition of pouring from a height and only drinking small amounts at a time are somewhat intriguing! The waiters/waitresses were happy to pour for you. This avoided much wastage on my part.
 
A selection of Camino Jewellery
This is of high importance to me too! Also I understand some regions are known for their cider. So please any info - enquiring minds need to know!

Also has most of Spanish wine switched to screw tops - or will I need to pack a corkscrew?
No screw tops! Defo take a cork screw :)
 
The wine from the Fuente de Vino in Irache doesn't travel very well - even from the tap to the mouth. Not worth it. Take a sip, have a laugh, take a photo, move on.

Biff
 
This is of high importance to me too! Also I understand some regions are known for their cider. So please any info - enquiring minds need to know!

Also has most of Spanish wine switched to screw tops - or will I need to pack a corkscrew?
You will need to pack a corkscrew. Not a screw top in site all the way on the VdlP a few months ago
 
Very light, comfortable and compressible poncho. Specially designed for protection against water for any activity.

Our Atmospheric H30 poncho offers lightness and waterproofness. Easily compressible and made with our Waterproof fabric, its heat-sealed interior seams guarantee its waterproofness. Includes carrying bag.

€60,-
Please write it! I will join you on the different wine tastings. I did one in Logrono (Rioja) and it was amazing.
I have heard about a cider region, but missed that one!
 

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