Rioja Wine Tasting

I know this won't be a shock,  but we've done a fair amount of wine-tasting in various parts of the U.S. and Europe...so it was a nice surprise on what an amazing day we experienced in Rioja.  We met up with our tour guide/host, Inma who recently started her own wine touring company - Rioja Wine Trips- out of Logrono.  She was fantastic!  We started by visiting the most uniquely designed winery, Bodegas Ysios.  Having worked at a local winery for 3+ years, she was very well-versed in the different styles that Rioja uses to produce grapes and ultimately wine. She then took us to a couple of family-run wineries  (which most are) for some tasting.  However their tastes would qualify for almost what we would consider as a 'glass' of wine!  Sampled 4 wines at Ostatu and then toured and sampled 6 at Bodegas Tierra.  Would've been 4, but the wine - maker Rodrigo must have liked us since he pulled out 2 bottles of the good stuff that he doesn't usually pour on tours. Next Inma took us to a several hundred year-old cave/cellar to have lunch (with wine of course) where friends of hers store a few barrels of their wine to specially sample with family and friends. A fantastic dejeuner with barrel 'tastes'...doesn't get much better than that!   Afterwards,  we did a quick trip to Elciego to see the Frank Geary designed hotel Marques de Riscal which was pretty cool and then café au lait in the hilltop town of Laguardia before heading back to San Sebastian. A very fun,  full day!!!