Wine tourism in Spain: wine routes to visit
Wineries among the vineyards, historic towns, tastings and grape harvest festivals: wine tourism is a wonderful way to discover Spain. We explain what the Rutas del Vino de España are and look at ten of the best known.
What the Rutas del Vino de España are
It is a tourism product created by ACEVIN, the Spanish Association of Wine Towns, with quality criteria that it sets together with the Secretary of State for Tourism. Today it brings together more than 30 certified routes all over Spain.
Ruta del Vino Rioja Alta (La Rioja)
Through the Ebro valley and the Najerilla, Tirón and Oja rivers, with traditional winery quarters. San Asensio prides itself on being the birthplace of clarete.
Ruta del Vino de Rioja Alavesa (Álava)
Fifteen municipalities with medieval towns in the south of Álava, sheltered by the Sierra de Cantabria, within the Rioja Qualified Designation of Origin. The main grape is tempranillo.
Ruta del Vino Ribera del Duero (Castilla y León)
More than a hundred villages in Burgos, Segovia, Soria and Valladolid along the Duero. Tempranillo is the great star, and albillo is the only white grape authorised in the designation.
Ruta del Vino Rías Baixas (Galicia)
Between the provinces of Pontevedra and A Coruña, from near Santiago to the mouth of the Miño. It is the land of albariño, grown on pergolas, with fishing villages, pazos (manor houses) and monasteries.
Ruta del Vino y el Brandy Marco de Jerez (Cádiz)
Eight municipalities in the province of Cádiz, from Jerez to Sanlúcar de Barrameda and El Puerto de Santa María. Its wines are made with palomino, pedro ximénez and moscatel and are aged in the traditional criaderas and soleras system.
Ruta del Vino Penedès (Catalonia)
About 30 minutes from Barcelona and Tarragona, it is the land of cava, with farmhouses among the vineyards and VINSEUM, the Wine Museum of Catalonia, in Vilafranca del Penedès.
Ruta del Vino de La Mancha (Castilla-La Mancha)
Ten towns in Albacete, Ciudad Real and Toledo, such as Tomelloso, Campo de Criptana and El Toboso, on a great plain of vineyards closely linked to Don Quixote.
Ruta del Vino de Rueda (Castilla y León)
The first designation of origin recognised in Castilla y León, in 1980. Its grape is verdejo, for white wines, and its towns feature Mudéjar brick architecture.
Ruta del Vino Somontano (Aragon)
At the foot of the Pyrenees and the Sierra de Guara, with Barbastro as the starting point. As well as wine, it is famous for the Barbastro pink tomato.
Ruta del Vino de El Bierzo (León)
A basin surrounded by mountains right on the Camino de Santiago. Its native grapes are mencía for reds and godello for whites.
Ruta del Vino Montilla-Moriles (Córdoba)
Land of pedro ximénez and of fortified wines such as fino, amontillado and oloroso, aged in criaderas and soleras, next to the Sierras Subbéticas.
Tips for your break
Book winery visits in advance and check with each one whether a tasting is included.
Many of these areas hold grape harvest festivals: if it suits you, it is a great time to go.
If you are going to taste, arrange your return without driving. As the DGT (Spain’s traffic authority) points out, the only truly safe blood alcohol level behind the wheel is 0.0.