A train trip, just one hour from Madrid, takes you to the Rueda wine region, a place full of charm and tradition where every corner invites you to discover the secrets of the precious white wine. As you approach the cradle of Verdejo, the landscapes are filled with vineyards that, now, seem devoid of life, but whose vines hold the secret of the valuable golden elixir that was already consumed at the court of the Catholic Monarchs.
Wines well known inside and outside of Spain for their freshness and elegance, especially made with the Verdejo grape variety, although other varieties such as Sauvignon Blanc, Palomino and Viura are also allowed.
In 1980, the Rueda appellation of origin was created, making it the oldest in Castilla, and the best way to get to know this territory is through the Rueda Wine Route, a tour of 22 municipalities with nearly 30 wineries and vineyards. visits that are willing to show the history, culture and work of this land. A route in which local gastronomy and natural landscapes cannot be missed, as well as charming Castilian towns with centuries of history, with ancestral mansions, Mudejar temples and medieval castles.
And as it could not be otherwise, the itinerary begins with a Campo Eliseo winery, in La Seca, which was born in a historic 18th century house owned by several families, the last being François Lurton, belonging to the fourth generation of an important family. of French winegrowers in Bordeaux. He bought it in 2015 and it is still intact, in fact it is habitable today. And like most of the houses in the area, it hides the underground galleries in which the wines from the prestigious vigneron rest, as it has four fundamental conditions to make excellent wines: the temperature of 14º degrees annually, the relative humidity around 60 %, the absence of sunlight and vibrations, essential for the wine to rest.
It uses three types of containers: concrete eggs, ceramic amphorae and French oak barrels. They have two ranges Hermanos Luton and Champ Elysée. Its orange wine is worth it, made with white grapes as if it were a red, fermented directly in the barrel in demi-muid with the skins, its HarmonÃa wine is worthy of recognition as the second best Sauvignon blanc in the world, and Campo ElÃseo Cuvée Alegre which is among the 100 best whites according to Wine Spectator.
Near the town of Rueda, you will find Montepedroso, a modern winery that opened in 2013, owned by a wine-producing family since 1889, in La Rioja Alavesa. The winery is on a mountain almost 700 meters above sea level and has stony pebble soils, hence its name.
The MartÃnez Bujandas are experts in the concept of making wines with their own grapes, and that concept persists in Rueda, the only thing they make on the estate is 100% Verdejo grapes from their own vineyards that give it the personality of the landscape. All the wine is aged on its own lees, for five months, in tanks, then it is filtered and aged in the bottle, a part is passed into cement eggs, this is how they make their second wine. The views through the large windows of its tasting room are spectacular.
Not far from there is the Yllera winery, a company with a long winemaking tradition. Already in 1950, the Yllera family was making and selling wine in the towns of the province of Valladolid, and they were the pioneers in bottling the first Verdejo white wine in Rueda before the DO was created. Now it is the brothers Jesús and Pepe Yllera, the fifth generation, who have updated their wine offering.
After a major fire, the wineries were rebuilt to offer a different wine tourism experience, mythology is immersed in the underground galleries linked by a system of labyrinthine tunnels (about 800 meters) in which the visitor can enjoy a tour, 20 meters away. deep, through the dark corridors impregnated with the fascinating story of the myth of the Minotaur. In front of the symbolic setting of the Cretan labyrinth, guests can unwind the thread from the ball that Ariadne gave to Theseus to put an end to the Minotaur. This thread runs through the corners in which each of the special wines rests in a mythical and legendary connection.
And without going outside, once the visit is over, it is possible to taste the gastronomic proposal that the renowned chef MartÃn Berasategui has prepared at the El Hilo de Ariadna gastrobodega, with two menus adapted to the winery, one short and one long, with dishes innovative dishes made with local products, such as churro lamb croquette, caramelized smoked eel millefeuille, foie gras and apple or wild sea bass with Josper, red curry, razor clams, parsnip and tomato emulsion, recipes that are accompanied by the best wines from Wheel.
More informal, located in what was one of the most important markets in all of Europe, Medinan del Campo, we find La Mejillonera, a restaurant without mussels despite its name or almost… on its menu there is only one dish of this seafood (by popular request) that has Asian sauce. A place that has been completely transformed with a very creative menu and innovative recipes, such as the sweet lamb cannelloni or the lemon fish and fried yucca ceviche, paired with a wide variety of wines that can also be chosen in the adjacent cellar. to the restaurant. A modern and cozy space, where bottles are displayed hanging on shelves of giant glass refrigerators, a space for tastings, presentations…
And with barely 800 inhabitants, the town of Castronuño has become a tourist destination for two reasons: one, because there is the largest meander in Europe formed by the Duero River, in the Ribera Castronuño nature reserve; and two, because you can taste the best torrija in Spain, in Xokoreto (it is the pronunciation of chocolate in Japanese). José Ignacio Colinas, together with his wife, decided to open a pastry-ice cream shop with innovative products in their town, taking advantage of this unique landscape. His torrijas have been awarded as the best for three years, but he also makes artisanal chocolates, pastries, cakes, biscuits and savory pastries, and for Christmas his Wine Selection nougat collection is famous.
And after the route, comes the well-deserved rest, in Olmedo, famous in the 16th century, among other things, because Lope de Vega wrote The Knight of Olmedo, a drama of love and death that took place in this Valladolid town; and currently it is known for hosting one of the best spa hotels in Spain, the Castilla Termal Olmedo, the first of the hotel chain founded by Roberto GarcÃa, a native of the town. Roberto’s idea was to transform a ruined convent that had belonged to his family since 1956, the Sancti SpÃritus convent from the 16th century. XI, in a hotel taking advantage of waters that were not used for cultivation but did contain medicinal mineral elements, and which are now used to offer luxurious wellness experiences. The principles of the brand are to recover historic buildings, with thermal waters and that can also be sustainable and respectful of the environment.
At Castilla Termal the service is exquisite as well as close, its clientele is mostly national and very loyal. The enormous thermal pool is located in what was the old cloister, and has built a Mudejar patio replica of the royal patio of the Santa Clara de Tordesillas monastery in the old kitchens, there you can enjoy an exclusive circuit for 6 or 8 people, with peeling showers, wet and dry sauna, and a hot and cold water area where cava is served while enjoying the silence. The final part is reserved for the fireplace room (the original), with tea and sofas to rest in the dark, with the flames of the fire as the only company.
