Exploring Rioja

An early morning flight from Gatwick to Bilbao marked the start of a fantastic few days exploring the beautiful wine region of Rioja, visiting producers, tasting exceptional wines and enjoying some wonderful Spanish hospitality.

Our first stop was Eguren Ugarte, a spectacular family-owned winery in the heart of Rioja Alavesa, with a winemaking history stretching back to 1870. Set amongst stunning vineyards beneath the Sierra Cantabria mountains, the estate is home to over two kilometres of underground cellars.

It was a real privilege to meet the family behind the wines, explore the winery and discover more about some of Rioja's fascinating local grape varieties, including Graciano, Maturana and Tempranillo Blanco. A truly memorable experience!

That evening, we headed into Logroño, Rioja's historic capital, to experience its famous pinchos bars, fantastic local wines and incredible atmosphere. A brilliant evening in a city where wine and food are very much a way of life!

The following day took us to Zinio Bodegas, an impressive cooperative winery in Rioja Alta, founded in 1986 and bringing together around 200 local winegrowing families.

After a fascinating tour of the winery and some excellent tastings, we're delighted to announce that Zinio's fantastic range of wines will be joining our portfolio for 2027! We're really excited to introduce these wines to our customers and share the story behind this wonderful producer.

Then it was back to Bilbao for the journey home, bringing a brilliant few days to a close.

Trips like this remind us why we love what we do. Meeting producers, understanding their wines and building lasting relationships are at the heart of our business.

A huge thank you to everyone at Eguren Ugarte and Zinio Bodegas for their wonderful hospitality.

Great wine starts with great people.