Take more than a tour in La Rioja
Rioja Like a Native is one of the major expert providers of exciting and unique Rioja Wine Tours , showcasing the very best of Spain’s most famous wine region. We believe people no longer want to be tourists, they want to feel like natives. Don’t just visit Rioja Wine Country, come experience it with local friends in our tours.
Most Popular Rioja Wine Tours
You can enjoy our best-selling and most complete Rioja Wine Tour where you will learn our fascinating 2,000 year winemaking tradition of our region, including history, enology, gastronomy and education, to achieve a complete experience in a fun way, but we can also do a Customized Rioja Wine Tour where we will plan the best route and include your favorite activities. We are flexible and adapt to any budget.
OUR RIOJA WINE TOURS:
RIOJA ALTA & RIOJA ALAVESA
Our daily tour ranked #1 on TripAdvisor!
- Group tour up to 8 people
- English speaking wine expert guide
- Private Transportation with A/C
- Three vineyard’s guided visits with commented wine tastings in each of them
- Traditional Riojan lunch “Like a Native”
- Pick up & drop off at your hotel in the Rioja Wine Country
RIOJA WINE TOUR : Rioja Alta & Rioja Alavesa
CUSTOMIZED RIOJA WINE TOUR
For Winelovers: Be a Winemaker • Wine Tasting Courses • Vineyards, Winery and Wine Tastings (also in other Denomination of Origin in Spain, France and Portugal) • Architectural & Castle Wine Route
For Lovers of Good Food: Gastronomy and Wine Route • VIP Gastronomic Experience
Discover the region: Medieval Villages • The Monasteries Route • The Way of St. James
For the most adventurous: Horseback Ride • Bike Tour • Segway Tour • Kayaking • Paragliding • Balloon Flight
CUSTOMIZED RIOJA WINE TOUR
We pick you up at your hotel in the Rioja region or in any city close by to do your Rioja Wine Tour
RIOJA WINE TOUR FROM BILBAO
Visit La Rioja from anywhere in northern Spain, and you will discover a region of great beauty and tradition.
Rioja Wine Tour From Bilbao
RIOJA WINE TOUR FROM SAN SEBASTIAN
La Rioja, its wine, its gastronomy, its history … are closer than you imagine. Discover it !
Rioja Wine Tour From San Sebastian
Welcome to the famous wine region of Rioja
Location
The Rioja wine region takes its name from the Spanish province of La Rioja, in the north central part of Spain. The capital city here is Logroño, but the historic city of Haro, is far more important when it comes to wine, because this is where you find the really great wineries, or bodegas, to use the Spanish word. The Rioja wine region is divided into three parts: Rioja Alta, Rioja Baja and Rioja Alavesa; Rioja Alta and Rioja Alavesa are farther west than Baja and at higher elevations. But all 3 wine regions sited on the shadow of great Sierra de Cantabria mountain range. During our Rioja Wine Tours you will visit at least 2 of the main wine areas: Rioja Alta & Rioja Alavesa.
Attractions
Rioja is undoubtedly the most famous of the Spanish Wine Regions and with good reasons. In Spain, more land is devoted to growing vines than in any other country in the World, and much of that land is up here Rioja. So, people take wine seriously here, except that is on the 27th to the 29th of June, this is when the Haro Wine Festival takes place, forget about gentile wine tastings, this is a St. Peters feast day, when thousands of locals take part on a massive wine party that involves spraying wine all over each other. After partying all night long, the wine soaked reveler, walk up the local mountain where they dance to bands…. And well, carry on the party. Book in advance one of our Rioja Wine Tours to enjoy the local festivities of the region!
History
Rioja has an ancient history that dates back as far as 3,000 bC. The Phoenicians settled in Spain and began cultivating vines in 1100 bC, but disaster struck in the 700’s aC when the Moors arrived and the wine production all but stopped completely; thankfully medieval Christianity arrived in Spain, bringing trade and the monastic way of life, which resurrected the wine industry and the area soon began to flourish at least locally. It wasn’t until the phylloxera outbreak in the middle of the 1800’s the Rioja really came into its own. The phylloxera blight ruined virtually all of France’s vineyards forcing French wine merchants south to Rioja and with them they brought the traditional and prized wine making techniques of Bordeaux and the famous barrick style barrels. And under the Bordelaise influence, Rioja thrived and was soon exporting thousands of gallons of wine to its gallic neighbour. Fast-forward to the modern times and Rioja’s recent history is quite turbulent, after recovering from its own Philloxera outbreak at the start of the 20th century the wine became popular again in the 1970’s only to fall out of fashion in the 80s following a spell out all of overpriced and underperforming wines. But nowadays Rioja is back on trend, with the region producing some of the best valued wines in the world. Come to enjoy our Rioja Wine Tours where you will span more than 600 years in just one day!
Production
As you’d expect from a country that boast more vineyards than any other, Rioja is a major producer of wine, and Spain is the 3rd larger producer in the World. In fact, around 280 to 300 million litres of Rioja is produced every year. That is enough to fill 120 Olympic swimming pools. The ninety percent of the production is red with rosé and white wine making up the rest. But this still isn’t as much as Bordeaux, which produces two and a half times more. One reason for this is it’s grapes, which have a lower yield and therefore produce less wine. So, how does the production process work in Rioja? Well, there are four categories of wines, these are: Vino Joven, Crianza, Reserva and Gran Reserva. The differences between each category is very simple, is just down on to how the wine is kept on oak and in the bottle. The timings are different for red wines and white wines. So, let’s start with Vino Joven, which means young wine. For red wines, these tend to be 1 or 2 years old and not oak aged. They are fresh and fruity, with low tannins and not so heavy. When you see a bottle of Rioja labelled simply Rioja, this is the young wine. Next, we have the Crianza, which should be at least 2 years old, and will have spent a minimum of one year in a cask and a few months in a bottle. These wines will probably have been aged in an oak cask that has been used before, what is called second used or third used barrels, it means, the flavour of oak will be less strong. Next, we have the Reserva, these wines will be from some of the best vintages and they will be aged for at least 3 years with at least 1 year in a cask. They should have a good tannin and good flavours of oak. And finally, we have got the Gran Reserva, and these are heavy hitters, they were produced using grapes from exceptional vintages and will have spent at least 2 years in oak casks and 3 years in a bottle. These wines will have high tannins and lots of powerful oaky flavour. But having said all of that, trying not to get too hung up on the labels, you can still find excellent wines that are Young or Crianza, in fact you may well find that you prefer the fruity freshness of the Young Rioja to an oak aged Gran Reserva, or that you prefer the medium balance of a Reserva to an older Gran Reserva. In our Rioja Wine Tours you will taste most of these classifications ton understand the huge difference in taste!
Geography
As with all wine producing regions, the climate and geography is fundamental to the outcome of the wine. And here in Rioja, the very name of the region comes from the land, because Rioja wine is named after the province of La Rioja, which takes their name from the river Oja, or río Oja in Spanish, which flows through the area. But more importantly, Rioja is where two major climates meet, the cool and wet Atlantic climate and the hotter and drier Mediterranean. It’s the balance of these 2 climates that results in excellent wine making temperatures and rainfall. There are 2 major rivers flowing through the Rioja, that help keep the region naturally watered and luscious. These are the Río Oja and the Río Ebro. The Rioja Wine Region is shaped by mountains, which in turn greatly influence the vines. And the north and west of the region, you’ll find the natural border of the Sierra de Cantabria; these mountains provide a crucial shelter from the cold wet and fierce winds from the Atlantic Ocean, and this keeps the area much drier and warmer as a result. Rioja benefits from a range of good varied soils that you will see in our Rioja Wine Tours , including chalky clay, ferrous clay, and alluvial.
Grape varieties
As you will see in our Rioja Wine Tours , we have different grape varieties:
VIURA or Macabeo, as it is known outside of Rioja, is the most widely planted white grape variety in the region. It makes fruity wines with floral aromas and great acidity. This makes it a fantastic grape for both, young and aged wines. Typical aromas are floral and citrus. The main regions where you find Viura are Spain and France. The MATURANA BLANCA grape is the oldest grape variety known in Rioja and is mentioned in texts dating back to 1622. It has a low Ph and a high acidity and can produce very alcoholic wines. This grape has aromas of apple and herbs. The main region where you find Maturana Blanca is Spain. The name MALVASÍA actually refers to an ancient family of grapes, many of which are grown in Portugal and Spain. In Rioja, it is usually blended with Viura, to add body and texture to the wine. These grapes typically have a low acidity with aromas that include notes of orange peel, dried fruits and nuts. You’ll find Malvasia grown in Spain, Italy, Portugal, Sicily, the Canary Islands, Greece, Croatia, Slovenia, and the USA. As you expect, GARNACHA BLANCA is the white version of the red Garnacha grape and like that one, it is like light skinned. Wines produced from this grape tend to be full bodied and golden straw colour. Typical aromas are green apples, stone fruits and mineral. This grape is grown in Spain, France and California. TEMPRANILLO is the region’s number one grape, and accounts for 75% of Rioja’s vineyards, it is special for numerous reasons. First of all, this is a great grape for aging, as it can withstand long period in casks, and secondly it has a very good balance for acidity and tannin. Typical aromas are strawberry and herbs, as well as blackcurrant, chocolate, tabaco, vanilla and leather. The main regions where you find Tempranillo are Spain, Portugal, Argentina, Australia and the USA. GARNACHA or grenache, as it is called in France and Italy, used to be the most widely planted grape in the World, and is one of the key grapes in Rioja. It is often blended with Tempranillo to make a typical rioja blend. Typically, garnacha has a low to medium tannin, and a low to medium acidity. Typical aromas are raspberry, spice, tobacco and cinnamon. The main regions where you find Garnacha are France, Spain, Italy, US and Australia. The GRACIANO grape is indigenous to Rioja and it is rarely found outside the area. This is possibly due to the cool climate and clay limescale soils that it needs to grow. It blends excellently with Tempranillo and has seen somewhat of a resurgence in recent years. Typical aromas are chocolate and violets and it has a medium acidity and a medium tannin. The main regions where you find Graciano are Spain, Australia and California. MAZUELO grape is thought to have grown in Rioja for centuries but is no longer widely grown in the region. It is more commonly known around the world as Carignan, and makes up about 3% of Rioja’s vineyards and it is generally blended with Tempranillo. Mazuelo produces wines with high tannins, high acidity and aromas of black fruit, liquorice and pepper. The grape is grown in Spain, Sardinia and California.
Appellations
Since 1926 Rioja Wine has fallen under the classification system of the Denominación de Origen Calificada which you see to be abbreviated to D.O.C. and it is the first Spanish wine to be officially recognized and protected in this way. The D.O.C. regulations established a border within which Rioja label wine can be produced, and insure quality remains by restricting yields, so as to protect the land and the vines, while also checking and approving the winemaking techniques that are used. There are three regions from which all rioja wine comes from, these are Rioja Alta, Rioja Baja and Rioja Alavesa. Rioja Alta means High Rioja, and is the most western of the three regions. The vines grow far higher here than they do it in Rioja Baja, but at a similar altitude to Rioja Alavesa. The Ebro river flows through north of Rioja Alta, acting as a natural border between Alta and the neighbouring Alavesa. You will find the most beautiful historic town of Haro here, at 528 metres above sea level. The climate is more continental than in other parts of Rioja with hottest summers and longer autumns. Tempranillo grows abundantly in this region and this is where you find classic rioja’s style wines, which are often lighter and finer than those of the neighbouring Rioja Alavesa. Some famous wine producers include La Rioja Alta, Marqués de Murrieta and Marques de Cáceres. Rioja Baja is the Eastern most region of Rioja. The land is at a much lower altitude here at around 380 meters in the west and 301 metres in the east. The climate is hotter, drier and more Mediterranean making it perfect for growing garnacha. Wines produced here tend to be more spicy and peppery which is how the locals enjoy their wine. To the north of the river Ebro, is Rioja Alavesa, the smallest and most northern of the three regions. And the only appellation to fall outside of the La Rioja province, in the Alava region of the autonomist Basque Country. This region lies in the foothills of the cantabrian mountains, and while Rioja Alta might mean high rioja, is actually Alavesa that boasts some of the highest vineyards in all of Rioja. The climate here is cooler and wetter than in Alta and Baja and tempranillo is widely grown and harvested early for making younger and fresher wines, which is popular among the local Basque community. Enjoy the best Rioja Wine Tours with us!
Why “Rioja Like A Native” Wine Tours ?
Our private Rioja Wine tours are specifically designed to blend you in like a local, not to stand out as a tourist.
Over generations, our guides have a very unique perspective of our region’s history. Learn from those who’ve lived it.
We have been exploring La Rioja Country all our lives. Go off the beaten trail and discover the secrets of the region with those who know it best.
We have been building personal relationships with establishments in La Rioja for generations. Let our guides introduce you!
DISCOVER THE SECRETS OF WINE CULTURE…
… Visit the best wineries, vineyards and historical villages with our Wine Day Tours & Excursions. Taste La Rioja and … Enjoy !
Our Awards
Number 1 on TripAdvisor
Travel & Hospitality Award Winner
“Rioja Like a Native” mentioned in the News
PERFECT WINE AND CHEESE PAIRINGS
“…Adding to this, both cheese and wine possess lactic acid, which seals the deal for a like-attracts-like marriage. “We can taste how wine completely changes immediately after eating cheese”, explains Rebeca Perez, founder ….Read more
By Beebe Bahrami (BON VIVANT MAGAZINE)
THE BEST WINE TASTING IN SPAIN: 6 ROUTES OF WINE TOURISM
“…Travel between different villages, with landscapes of vineyards everywhere … Try some of the region’s finest wines, red, white or even sparkling. Know different wineries with totally modern or ancestral winemaking methods….Read more
By Juanfran Álvarez (IDEALO MAGAZINE)
DUTCH TV SHOW “3 OP REIS” IN RIOJA WINE COUNTRY
“…Wine, wine and more wine … This is Rioja: the most important wine region in Spain, with almost 700 wineries of all types and sizes. The Ysios and Marques de Riscal wineries are outstanding architectural examples and symbolize the new and modern Rioja …Read more
By Nienke de la Rive Box (3OP REIS TV – HOLLAND)
MELISSA & TOM FROM BANGALORE, INDIA
“A highlight of our time in Spain was our tour of La Rioja wineries with Rebeca and Robert of Rioja Like a Native. Over two days, we toured …Read more
By Tom Wells and Melissa Parkerton (THE WELLSERTONS!)
SHAY FARRELLY FROM DUBLIN, IRELAND
“… I wanted to see other areas of Spain and see something different. So I selected the La Rioja region just north of Madrid, and it was an excellent choice and I highly recommend it. We decided to … Read more
By Shay Farrelly (PHOTOGRAPHY & TRAVEL ENTHUSIAST)
Reviews of “Rioja Like a Native” Tour Services
“5 Stars” based on more than 330 reviews
Educational tour with a mix of fun!
“My husband and I booked Rebeca and she exceeded our expectations. If you are looking for an educational Rioja wine tour with a mix of fun, Rebeca is the person to go! She was knowledgeable on the wineries and terroir of Rioja…Read more…
REVIEWED BY ADRIENNE GARRIDO (CALIFORNIA, USA)
Four Day Rioja Wine Tour
“I had a fantastic Rioja wine tour with Rioja Like A Native and Rebeca as one guest on a 4 day tour. It is a wonderful scenic area with a long wine heritage. We visited a full range of wineries…Read more…
REVIEWED BY IAN WYATT (LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM)
Best winery tour ever!
“I’ve done some winery tours in Champagne, Napa, Suntory and so on but this was by far the best winery tour I had experienced. It was nothing like an ordinary group tour where you hop from a giant winery to another…Read more…
REVIEWED BY STELLA KANG (SEOUL, KOREA)
Excellent Rioja Adventure!
“Rebeca is an excellent tour guide and knows the area and the wine producers very well. She was great to work with in setting up the tour and very responsive prior to our arrival. Not only does she speak English very well…Read more…
REVIEWED BY ERIK SEIDLITZ (CALIFORNIA, USA)
A Wine Lovers Dream
“We had the pleasure of spending the day around La Rioja with the most wonderful ladies who organized our winery visits. As a winemaker myself, I asked specifically for a unique, personalized experience…Read more…
REVIEWED BY DUNCAN MARKS (CALIFORNIA, USA)
Fabulous personalised tour
“What a beautiful part of the world and what a great opportunity to visit some historic places and a variety of wineries with a personalised touch…Read more…
REVIEWED BY YOOTHA ARNOTT (YORK, UNITED KINGDOM)
Unforgettable
“I had an amazing time on a special tour designed just for us by Rebeca. We experienced both the be a Wine Maker activity and Cune winery tour. In addition Rebeca was an excellent host making great recommendations…Read more…
REVIEWED BY PATRICK CONNORS (MICHIGAN, USA)
A local friend’s introduction
“A friend of Wines & Tours from the UK introduced us to Rebeca last September – who is quite a remarkable your lady – smart and well spoken with a desire to please any visitor to her birth-place, within La Rioja…Read more…
REVIEWED BY NICHOLAS COLLIS (WANTAGE, UNITED KINGDOM)
Wineries = History
“A short visit to the wine capital of Spain wouldn’t be as awesome as it was if it wasn’t because of the generosity of Rebecca who is totally a hands-On tour guide… Read more…
REVIEWED BY RAILA GANADEN (MANILA, PHILIPPINES)