This post is also available in: Español (Spanish)
This January, Bodegas Arzuaga’s wine tourism offering was featured in one of the most important specialist publications in the food and wine industry, Sobremesa magazine. For us, the fact that a medium as prominent as Sobremesa speaks so well of our wine tourism offering is a real source of pride.
The first aspect highlighted in Sobremesa was Arzuaga’s history and family value. ‘It’s a family winery, and both Ignacio and Amaya play their part in sync. Two siblings who respectfully followed in the footsteps of Florentino and María Luisa, their parents and founders,’ the article explains.
‘But Arzuaga is also an amazing hotel, a thermal spa, a vineyard to explore and a shrine to gastronomy to enjoy. A job well done results in an astute blend of rurality and refinement so that the experience is perfect,’ the article asserts, referring to our wine tourism offering, which they also defined as ‘one of the most complete and delightful’ in Ribera del Duero, ‘based around a five-star hotel with a thermal pool and one of the best restaurants in the county.’
And, of course, the visit to the La Planta estate is also highlighted in the article about Arzuaga. Here, Teresa Álvarez, the journalist behind the article points out that ‘the real detail that makes the Arzuaga experience something unique is its hospitality, which opens the doors to its most prized estate and family home to turn the visit to a spectacular 65-hectare vineyard surrounded by Mediterranean pine, woody savin juniper and robust holm oak into something else’. As many of you will know, the family home stands next to the ancient holm oak.
The combination of deer – the emblem of Arzuaga – and wild boar and vineyards is, unquestionably, one part of our tours that impresses the most. Therefore, the Sobremesa article also naturally refers to this, pointing out the important role of Amaya Arzuaga as well. ‘The famous designer, straightforward and approachable, fully dedicated to her land and wine at this new time in her life, strolls among the deer. It’s time to feed them and tame ones come to take the feed from her hands. Nearby, herds of wild boar with their unruly and playful young wait for her to arrive. In the background, a garden and vines where you can discover the judicious manual pruning and picking techniques for each variety to return naturally to the world of wine, walking through the rows of vineyards on the way back to the winery,’ Álvarez remarks.
After Amaya, it’s time to meet the wines we make in the heart of Ribera del Duero together with Ignacio Arzuaga. ‘The wines are a pure reflection of the family’s passion, with their long, more classic ageing that contrasts with the freshness of La Planta or the organic Laderas del Norte. And their Pago Florentino and the white Mota, an inviting, well-rounded Chardonnay, take different paths,’ the article notes.
Of course, the haute cuisine on offer at Taller and the work of Amaya Arzuaga and Víctor Gutiérrez are also mentioned in this comprehensive article. ‘Víctor has devoted all his know-how to Taller Arzuaga, which Amaya oversees masterfully, turning the service into a real ballroom dance. Perfect synchronisation, measured times, millimetric gestures against impressive décor that contrasts with the stone and the classicism of its old cellars,’ the article explains, going on to say, ‘On the plate, there is Castile, there is terroir, there is wine and, of course, there is Víctor, who has steeped himself in the Arzuaga concept without losing the essence of his cuisine, with powerful nigiri, subtle ceviches and tiraditos, Norway lobsters with cold garlic and almond soup and tributes to olive oil (the winery makes excellent Cornicabra and Arbequina oils in Toledo), which make way for lamb chops with sweetbreads and suckling lamb in an unforgettable dish.’
Here on our blog, we’d like to thank Teresa Álvarez and the Sobremesa team for their visit and their words about our wine tourism offering. Now you just need to come and see it for yourself!