Free open house / info session at GBH Studios, Tuesday, July 23 @ 7pm
RSVP for this free info session at GBH Studios! Taste delicious Rioja wines, meet your fellow travelers, and learn everything you need to know about this amazing trip.
Visit the vineyards, kitchens & farms of Rioja with special guest Callie Crossley from GBH TV & radio
Pack your bags for the heart of Spanish wine country | October 14-20, 2024 | Six days & nights | 24 people max | $5666 per person double, $667 single supplement, all-inclusive (except airfare)
We’ve found the place, the people, and the wines to create the Boston Wine School experience in Rioja, and you’re invited!
Even if you think you know nothing about Spanish wine, everyone knows (or knows of) Rioja, the most important, admired, collected, sought-after wine in all of Spain. Boston Wine School will be spending a week there in October learning and understanding what makes this wine region so relentlessly delicious.
You’ll visit many vineyards and wineries, and you’ll experience the foods, cheeses, and meats Rioja is famous for. Most importantly, you’ll get to know yourselves, each other, and the winemakers and food artists who will be welcoming us into their homes and businesses to participate in their delicious craft and art.
We’ll be staying in one place the entire time – beautiful Villa Liquidámbar in Torrecilla en Cameros – and should have Rioja almost all to ourselves since our itinerary is timed for what they call “shoulder season” right after harvest when the major tourist season winds down. The weather this time of year in Rioja is ideal as well, typically dry and warm in the 60s with lows at night sometimes in the 40s.
You’ll have wine tasting classes every day along with a complement of food, history, and winemaking experiences you’ll never forget. If you’re ready to eat, drink, and breathe Spain, Boston Wine School is ready to take you there.
ABOUT Callie Crossley
Callie Crossley is a woman for all media including commentator, public speaker, writer, broadcast journalist, and filmmaker. She hosts Under the Radar with Callie Crossley and The Culture Show on GBH radio and Basic Black on GBH television. Callie has won numerous awards, including the Edward R. Murrow Award, a national Emmy, and an Oscar nomination for her producer work on Eyes on the Prize: America’s Civil Rights Years.
Villa Liquidámbar | Our home for the week
Villa Liquidámbar is an ideal home for families and groups of friends traveling to Rioja. The bedrooms are spacious, each one with a different theme. The overall tranquility guarantees refreshing dreams. The house is environmentally friendly, respects the natural environment, and boasts a sustainable self-regulated water system. Villa Liquidámbar is a short walk from the charming walled town of Torrecilla en Cameros.
DAY ONE | Arrive into Madrid (by air) or Logroño (by train or bus). Most people arrive early, and once we know everyone’s plans, we’ll schedule pick-up at the airport in Madrid.
12-3pm | Tapas tour of Logroño. Meet at Wine Fandango, then to El Soriano, Tastavin, more.
3pm | Depart for Villa Liquidambar, check in for six nights.
7pm | Wine tasting and light dinner.
DAY TWO | Breakfast in Villa Liquidambar.
10am | Wine class: “The Reign Of Spain”
by Jonathon Alsop.
12pm | Lunch in Villa Liquidambar.
2pm | Depart for cheese farm tour & tasting.
5pm | Cooking class: “If It Grows Together, It
Goes Together” by Chef Gabriella Llamas.
8pm | Wine dinner at Villa Liquidambar.
DAY THREE | Breakfast in Villa Liquidambar.
10am | Depart for Haro in Rioja Alta, tour & tasting at Ramón Bilbao + lunch.
2pm | San Vicente de Sonsierra biodynamic vineyard tour & tasting.
4pm | Navarette cerámica de La Rioja tour.
8pm | Wine dinner at Villa Liquidambar.
DAY FOUR | Breakfast in Villa Liquidambar.
10am | Depart for Rioja Alavesa, tour & tasting at Marqués de Riscal.
12pm | Lunch, wine tasting, and vineyard tour at boutique winery in Elciego.
5pm | Cooking class: “Meat Your Maker” by Chef Gabriella Llamas.
8pm | Wine dinner at Villa Liquidambar.
DAY FIVE | Breakfast in Villa Liquidambar.
10am | Depart for tour & tasting at Arizcuren and Ontañon, urban wineries in Logroño + lunch.
4pm | Olive oil farm, olive oil pressing,
tour & tasting in Quel.
7pm | Wine dinner at Restaurante Coliceo 29 (“Tradition turned upside down”) in Calahorra.
DAY SIX | Breakfast in Villa Liquidambar.
10am | Wine class: “Rioja Review” by Jonathon Alsop.
12pm | Wine tasting & lunch at Finca de los Arandinos in Entrena.
3pm | Tour & tasting at La Rúa artisan Belgian-style brewery in Entrena.
5pm | Cooking class: “Cooking With Wine” by Chef Gabriella Llamas.
8pm | Awards dinner at Villa Liquidambar.
DAY SEVEN | Breakfast in Villa Liquidambar.
Depart to Logroño or Madrid.
The people you’ll meet
Atlanta native April Cullom traded in her Southern roots to move to the Costa del Sol in Andalucía, and currently lives “bi-costal” between New York City and Málaga. She holds WSET Advanced and Spanish Wine Scholar certificates, is a certified Spain Specialist by TurEspaña, and is the creator of the award-winning Alma de Vino & Casa Abril wines. Her agency, Global Bridges LLC, has 20+ years’ experience specializing in Spanish food and wine marketing to promote Spanish wines and introduce American consumers to a place she likes to call “home”, Spain.
Jonathon Alsop is founder & executive director of the Boston Wine School, author of The Wine Lover’s Devotional and In Vino Veritas, and a commentator for National Public Radio. He began writing about wine, food and travel in 1988 and emerged as a wine expert through his syndicated wine column. He has contributed numerous articles to the Associated Press, Frequent Flyer Magazine, La Vie Claire, Beverage Business Magazine, Mobil Travel Guides, Fodor’s Travel Guides, Boston Globe, and many others.
We’ve done this before!
Covid-smart travel & learning
- 100% vaccination, all students and staff
- Universal precautions, all times and locations
- Private classes, tastings, and events exclusive to students and staff
- Central location and provider for all lodging and transportation
- Off-peak scheduling + “off-the-beaten-path” venues
- Travel insurance required for all travelers
What’s included
- Six nights at Villa Liquidámbar
- All hotel taxes
- Transport / transfer from Logroño to Villa Liquidámbar and return
- Breakfast, lunch & dinner each full day, plus welcome dinner the first day and breakfast the last
- Wine tastings, vineyard visits, tours, food experiences, chef’s cooking classes, admissions, and sightseeing
- Round-trip transportation for all events outside Villa Liquidámbar
What’s NOT included
- Airfare / transporation to & from Logroño
- Travel insurance
- Meals on your own and any additional food or wine
- Individual tours or special transportation outside the itinerary
The fine print
- All itineraries, schedules, events, menus & times are subject to change
