July 2nd, 2026

9 min read

Northern Spain - Part 2

May ‘26

Leaving San Sebastian, we drove south through the majestic basque countryside. It’s so green and lush, with dramatic hillsides and tiny farm houses in the distance. I didn’t see infrastructure other than the roads and bridges.

Then, the landscape changed. Drier. Stonier. We've crossed into Rioja, and if you don't feel the shift, you're not paying attention.

This area is rural and 100% dependent on the wine business. If you’re reading this, you probably know, Tempranillo is the protagonist in Rioja and the primary grape in the region's signature red wines. Often aged in oak, I find the Rioja wines savory and contemplative. The top reds are age worthy and when paired with local lamb, create one of my all-time favorite food & wine combos.  

The old vines of the area are planted in a goblet style that makes them easily recognizable. Some vines here are over 100 years old and barley planted in straight rows. Often, alongside the younger vines trained using the more “efficient” cordon method. There’s a contrast in vineyard management that echoes the architectural conversation in the area, too. Fantastical modern structures are literally across the street from traditional farm houses like Bodegas Ostatu. 

We visited Ostatu and were lucky to be hosted by María, third generation owner and wine-maker. Together we walked the vineyards and learned more about the history of Rioja. Traditionally, most families like hers didn’t farm grapes and make wine, at least not commercially. Most farmers sold their fruit to the cooperative or to larger wineries like Riscal or Muga. The idea of growing grapes and making wine was a newer kind of ambition. 

With an amazing view, we had a picnic lunch featuring their top wines and local staples like Spanish tortilla, chorizo, and a parade of local cheese. 

Marqués de Riscal is a well known producer of Rioja wine. The property is just outside the medieval village of Elciego, and has a Michelin-Key hotel architecturally designed by, you guessed it, Frank Gehry. Silver and rose gold, rippling over the roofline in every direction like something that landed here from a different planet, dropped right into the middle of a village that's been making wine since 1858.

The rooms are enormous. High ceilings, clean lines, glass everywhere. You open the curtains and there are the vineyards. Running in every direction toward the Sierra de Cantabria. The design is precise without being cold. A striking contrast to the very rustic, rural setting.

The Caudalie Vinothérapie Spa at Marqués de Riscal is built around wine-based treatments using grape extracts, seed oils, and polyphenols. The property also offers three restaurants for guests and is routinely ranked at the top in international hospitality publications.

I always tell you guys, before we lead a tour, we conduct in person “research”. Family owned wineries and restaurants are among our primary focus. We eat and drink ourselves silly in order to create the perfect experience for you, dear reader. Steadfast determination is essential. While researching the area last year, we had dinner in the town of Haro. Back at the advent of electricity, the first three cities in the world to have lights in homes and in the streets were London, Paris and Haro.

This year, I was so excited to bring my friends to Restaurant Terete. It’s been in the family for over 150 years. On the recommendation of the owner Rafael, we began with jamón ibérico and croquettes. It’s spring so white asparagus were in season as well as beautiful artichokes. The specialty of the house, and the reason we’re here, is roasted suckling lamb. 

My favorite part of the restaurant though, is the massive cellar beneath the dining room. Before dinner I snuck down with Rafa to check out his selection of magnums. Their collection is more like a library, a museum of Rioja wines from all the top producers. I ran my hand along the dusty bottles and made my selections. Multiple vintages of Lopéz de Heredia's Viña Tondonia. A worthy adversary for the final boss upstairs.

The lamb skin was bronzed and crackling. I pulled the first piece off the shoulder while the smoke was still rising. This is primal satisfaction. The kind of meal that doesn't require conversation. You just eat, sip, look at each other, and nod.

My alarm went off at 5am. Last year the flight was canceled due to weather so I’m excited to have been given the green light. We all grabbed a boxed breakfast and a quick espresso from the hotel lobby. The bus was dark, I can hear our driver’s music playing in Spanish. Nobody’s talking much. I’ll admit it, I was nervous.

After a thirty minute drive, we turn into an open field and we all exit the bus. The crew send up a small test balloon. I watch it get swallowed by the darkness and think about how that's either very reassuring or not reassuring at all.

Then the basket is unloaded. On it’s side, in the grass. This also seemed wrong. A team of three began unfolding what I can only describe as an enormous, lifeless, nylon creature across the field. Industrial fans roar to life. Then a column of flame punches into the opening of the balloon and it begins to slowly wake up.

Sixteen of us climb into the basket. The pilot, Valentino, gives instructions, in both Spanish and body language, with the calm authority of a man who has done this ten thousand times and finds it amusing that I’m nervous.

We lift off!

Within minutes, we’re at 6,000 feet. I could see for miles and the view was unbelievable!

Below us, Tempranillo is stretched out in every direction. The old goblet-trained vines we'd walked between just days before, now reduced to something almost abstract, a quilt of green and rust laid over the contours of the hills.

Far below, we spot a group of hikers walking along the Camino de Santiago. These folks were doing something considerably more demanding than floating above the landscape with a glass of cava. We raise our glasses in their direction and they wave back like old friends.

Old vines and titanium rooflines. María walking her vineyards at the same pace her grandfather did. Rafael pulling a bottle from the dark that's been waiting twenty years for the right table. Many places worth visiting have a tension at their center. Ancient vs. Modern. Rustic vs. Refined. Breakfast in a building with a spacecraft on its roof and dinner in a restaurant that hasn't changed the menu in 150 years.

After an amazing experience in Rioja, by private coach, we drove east to Catalonia…

To be continued…

________________________________________________

Want to read more stories from our adventures?

____________________________________________________________

Follow us on Facebook & Instagram for highlights, updates and details!

____________________________________________________

💰 Bonus Board: Perks & Rec Masterclass

Make 2026 the year you master points & miles. Join our next Perks & Rec Masterclass and learn to travel the world for free! I’ll show you exactly how we turn everyday spending into trips we’ll never forget. Elevate your travel game in 2026 with a clear roadmap to earning and redeeming points for unforgettable experiences. Instead of trying to find money for travel, now you’ll just have to find the time!

✅ Details and dates coming soon!

___________________________________________________________