The Eating Begins

We learned a lot from Ramón today, as we ventured to LaGuardia, a 1000 year-old town in the heart of Rioja. We climbed the steep walkway along the city walls, stopping for panoramic vistas of the countryside.

An enterprising local artist carved these sculptures into the trunks of trees that had been chopped down.

Meandering through the streets, we were met with charming shops and this bakery with its gorgeous bread loaves.

In the 1500s, during one of its many wars with other regions, the local citizenry excavated beneath their houses as refuges against invaders. Today, many people use these “caves” to store wine. Because Ramón knows everyone, he was able to get us into one of them below one of the restaurants. Subtle lighting and repurposed wine barrels create a lovely environment for fine dining and tasting.

He explained that in this region only four grape varietals are allowed to be cultivated: Tempranillo, Garnacha, Graciano and Mazuelo (aka Carignon). There are 600 wineries in Rioja, producing an astonishing 450 million bottles annually, of which they export 50-60%.

Reluctantly leaving LaGuardia, Ramón took a detour to the Marques de Riscal Winery (voted best in the world in 2025) for a coffee and one of his favorite tortillas. The tortilla was sublime, with velvety potatoes and eggs cooked just right, and roasted pepper on the side to make it spicy. We are now on a quest for the perfect tortilla!

Late morning found us at Finca Valpiedra for a tasting and drive through the vineyards. Their unique terroir is very rocky, due to the influence of the Río Ebro, which borders the property.

Next on the agenda was a visit to a tiny town of 200 souls to visit Hector and his olive farm. Unlike many olive oil producers, Hector employs all natural organic techniques, without pesticides.

He explained that many oils labeled extra virgin are not, but are contaminated with lesser oils. After he demonstrated, we tasted his extra virgin oils made from Arroniz olives, which are not good for eating. He served delicious little pintxos: one was a slice of orange drizzled with honey and oil and sprinkled with cinnamon; the other toasted raisin bread drizzled with oil and topped with chocolate sprinkles. They were paired with local white Rioja and Tempranillo.

Loaded with our oil purchases, we returned to Logroño for lunch in a special local restaurant. Our three-hour, multi-course lunch left us both in a food coma for the rest of the day.