Last week we had the unique opportunity to experience the wine making process up close. Campo Viejo invited us to see where their wine is coming from and we even helped out a little!
We had never been to a winery before, so it made this trip extra special
Campo Viejo is a Spanish wine brand that specializes in red wine that comes from the La Rioja region. If you live in The Netherlands, you may have seen their bottles in the Albert Heijn supermarket. Sarah and I are both winelovers, so you we said yes immediately.
The Region
La Rioja is region located in North Spain and is renowned for it’s local wine industry. The climate is very different than that from Southern Spain, so therefore the wines also taste different. You can fly to Bilbao with KLM and it’s only a 2 hour flight. From there you’ll need to continue by car or bus, as it’s in the middle of the mountains.
Tapas Tour in Logroño
First things first; wine and tapas! On our first evening, we met wine lovers from all over the globe. Content creators from Germany, Sweden, England, USA and even China was there. Together with this lovely group of people, we explored the town of Logroño, where the tapas and pinxos are out of this world. The tapas/wine tour took us to 5 local and tasty pinxos bars. The whole town comes alive around 6pm until about midnight. Grilled octopus, green roasted peppers, garlic mushrooms, THE BEST tomato salad in the world, we couldn’t stop eating. If you visit Logroño, make sure you arrive with an empty stomach.
The Campo Viejo Winery
The next morning we headed to the winery, only 15 minutes away from Logroño. It’s huge and surrounded by the Basque mountains, which makes it look like something out od a wine brochure. Special gear and clothes was waiting for us, because we actually needed to pick some grapes. (next time you open a bottle of Campo Viejo, you might taste a little bit of extra love from us!) Making wine is a detailed process that is so interesting to learn about!
Arriving at the Campo Viejo Winery
Drinking wine will never be the same again after you visit a winery
Even though there have been many wineries for the brand, the Campo Viejo winery as it exist now, was opened in 2001. It was build underground to maintain the same temperature during all seasons. Having build underground also means they don’t have to use cooling or heating systems, which is better for the environment. Fact: Campo Viejo was the first Spanish winery to certify its carbon footprint through AENOR, in accordance with ISO 14064 regulations.
Picking grapes at the Campo Viejo Winery
Sorting the grapes
Let the ageing process begin..
After picking the grapes and sorting them, it was time to taste some of their wines during a wonderful lunch. Did you know they also produce the most amazing cava? And we wouldn’t tell you about it if it wasn’t so. This cava is one of the better ones we’ve had.
Can it get any better?!
Yes it can! (add Campo Viejo Cava)
Sunset dinner at the Campo Viejo vineyard is something else
Did You Know?
- That all winemakers at Campo Viejo are women? (yeah, girl power!)
- That they have an experimental vineyard where they experiment with new methods and flavours?
- That you can book several wine tours with Campo Viejo? Book it here.
- Campo Viejo has been recognised as the leading Rioja winery on both sides of the Atlantic. In addition to being awarded Winery of the Year at both the Berlin International Wine Competition in March and the New York International Wine Competition in May, Campo Viejo wines have picked up a raft of gold medals from Berlin to San Diego.
Salut!
So now you know where Campo Viejo wine actually comes from! Go and get yourself a bottle, turn on some music, get yourself a plate of Spanish cheese, and live a live UNCORKED.
P.S: Keep an eye out on our Instagram & Facebook, because we have a very special give-away coming up at the end of October!
Love,
Wander-Lust