Carmine’s Explores the World of Spanish Wine

What happens when you take the time to fill out a 30-minute survey? Sometimes you win a trip to Spain! At least that was the case for Carmine’s on Penn Manager, Stephen Kozicki. After filling out a survey about Carmine’s wine program for Wine & Spirits magazine, Stephen was selected as one of the lucky winners. He’ll spend six days enjoying the best food and wine Spain has to offer. Check out his itinerary for a snapshot of what he’ll be up to:

 

Day 1:

• Arrive in Madrid. Did you know Madrid is the third largest city in the EU?

 

Day 2:

• Tour of Segovia: Segovia is a historic city northwest of Madrid, on the way to the wine regions of Ribera del Duero and Rueda.
• Food: Lunch at the historic Mesón de Cándido. Located at an inn built in 1884, this famous restaurant is well known for their suckling pig.
• Wine: Tasting at Rueda Consejo with an introduction to the wines of the region.

 

Day 3:

• Wine: Rueda tastings at Álvarez y Díez, Javier Sanz and Belondrade Winery. Rueda is primarily known for its white wines made from the Verdejo grape.
• Food: Lunch at Garciarévalo Winery, complete with a cooking workshop.

 

Day 4:

• Wine: Rueda tastings at Viore, El Hilo de Ariadna at José Pariente. Viore aims to produce about 700,000 bottles of white wine each year!
• Vidal Soblechero Falconry Show: Guests will enjoy a falcon show and wine tasting in the vineyard. Did you know falconry is considered a historic art form in Spain, dating back to over 3,000 years ago?
• Food: Dinner at Los Zagales Tapas restaurant in Valladolid, a city known for its medieval religious sites.

 

Day 5:

• Wine: Ribera del Duero tastings at Vega Sicilia and Protos. Wine produced in the Ribera del Duero region is almost exclusively made from red grapes and most are Tinto Fino, the local name for Tempranillo.
• Food: Lunch at Bodega Pago De Carraovejas, with a beautiful view of the Peñafiel Castle, built in the 10^th century!

 

Day 6:

• Wine: Ribera del Duero tastings at Bodegas Arzuaga Navarro and Real Sitio de Ventosilla. Guests will also enjoy a vintage wine tasting from historical wineries in the region, with wine dating back to 1985.
• Hot air balloon ride through the vineyards of “the Golden Mile” of Ribera del Duero.
• Food: Guests can cook dinner with the winemakers at Bodegas Neo (the only winery in the world with a music studio) before enjoying music and a picnic dinner.

 

Carmine’s on Penn might offer an exclusive 100% Italian wine list, but here’s to tasting some Spanish wines too! We look forward to hearing all about Stephen’s experience when he gets back.