Grandes Pagos: Spain's Farm-To-Table Approach To Wine
While the farm-to-table movement is trending all around the world, an association in Spain is taking that approach towards winemaking. While many wines are produced in an industrial way with the goal of profit prioritized, the Grandes Pagos association in Spain is the opposite: quality above all else. Only single estate vineyards are able to apply and only the best – ones who grow grapes, age and produce the wines all entirely themselves – make it in. What's even better is that Grandes Pagos ends up highlighting that quality doesn't necessarily have to cost an arm and a leg, as many of the 30 wineries in the association produce high caliber wines in the $15-$30 range.
We weaved our way through Spain to visit a few of the members to not only taste the wines, but see what else they offer onsite as part of the experience.
Propiedad De Arinzano
Arinzano winery is a large, beautiful property sprawled out over several acres in the region of Navarra. The 355-hectare estate is spread out across a valley formed by the last slopes of the Pyrenees mountains with vineyards on either side of the Ega river. The soil is rich in history dating back to the 11th century, including an old chapel and watchtower from the 1400's.
Two excellent offerings from this winery are a tasting at the top of a nearby mountain and a wine pairing lunch. The latter is self-explanatory as they seat you in prime positioning inside the tasting room where you indulge at the typical, languid Spanish pace. The former option is a little more upbeat. They'll take you on an ATV ride up through the vineyards to a peak where landscape and surrounding mountains are in clear view. Up there, there's a canopy and a couch and an excellent vantage point of the Spanish countryside.
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What's Nearby: Truffle Museum
One of the most prized (and expensive) culinary ingredients has an entire museum dedicated to it in Navarra. The museum, which is housed in a modern marvel of a building, delves into everything from the history of truffles, their biological cycle and details on how to find them. Tours will take you to the truffle farms where some good doggos will help you find the truffles (humans actually can't detect the scent) and then you'll get to come back to the museum and do some tastings.
Finca Valpiedra
Finca Valpiedra is located right on the banks of the Ebro River, a luxury for winemaking. It's just inside the northern boundary of La Rioja making it the only winery from the region to earn a spot in the Grandes Pagos association.
There are lots of fun ways to experience this winery whether it's a hike to the hidden beach, a Segway tour or a picnic on the Ebro River.
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What's Nearby: Teorema
Spain loves their gin and tonics, so it's not surprising to discover that the best gin and tonic bar in the world is located there. What is surprising is that the bar is located in the small town of Haro, which has a population of less than 12,000. Owner Juan has amassed over 800 – yes, 800 – types of gin. They hold the Guinness World Record for the gins on offer. There's so many that he's even built an app to help you choose.
Vinedos Alonso del Yerro
While many wines are made with the help of science – testing PH levels, measuring rainfall, timing the aging – the wines at Alonso del Yerro are made by feel. Master in Oeneology, Lionel Gourgue, has an excellent feel for the process. He nurtures the vines and the grapes like they're his children. And he clearly knows what he's doing as the results are excellent, hand-crafted wines year after year – even if the vintages have very different characteristics.
If you're visiting Alonso del Yerro, one of the best ways to get a feel for the whole process is to meet with the people behind the wine. The owners, Javier and María, offer everything from a basic tour to a full homemade lunch inside their home (at the winery) where you can spend some time together and hear their story. Call ahead to book.
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Aalto Bodegas Y Vinedos
Aalto wines are made by superstar winemaker Mariano Garcia (former winemaking director at Vega Sicilia) and given his name recognition, they have no problem selling out. They have no sales team and almost no marketing, yet each year they completely sell out. One of the reasons why is because they have an unwavering dedication to quality. If the grapes aren't good enough in any given year, they won't produce the wine. So many other wineries might source grapes from somewhere or to try to create blends in a bad year, but Aalto will never go down that route. They're committed to quality above anything else, which is the Grandes Pagos pledge.
If you're visiting Aalto, what's cool to see is the winery building itself. It's a marvelous piece of architecture. Perched up on a hill in the middle of Ribera Del Duero, it almost feels like a place you'd find a James Bond villain. One really unique aspect of the building is the indoor/outdoor garden. While it's inside the building, the garden room has no room, so it gets fresh air and light.
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Pago Calzadilla
Pago Calzadilla is an idyllic winery in the Huete. As a matter of fact, they're the only winery in the canton as when they started out, nobody believed they could be successful growing in the area. It's a family operation, started by a couple who wanted to invest in a passion project. Francisco Uribes is a former winery architect while his wife, Celia Madero, had a strong knowledge of chemistry. While Francisco and Celia are still involved, daughter Paula has now earned the responsibility of making the wines.
Come for the wine and a tour, stay for a wonderful Spanish lunch. An assortment of the classics can be arranged with wine pairings if you call ahead, including salmorejo, torta de patatas, manchego, jamon and roasted almonds that are grown on the property. You won't want to leave.
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What's Nearby: Cheese & Honey Shops
Calzadilla isn't the only artisan crafter in the neighborhood. If you like the local, farm-to-table approach, visit the neighboring cheese factory Lacto Ganadera is a real treat. Less than 10 minutes away by car, they specialize in goat and sheep cheeses, which means you can get your hands on some marvelous manchego.
In the town of Huete itself, visit Miel Posito Real, which is a honey shop housed in a building that's almost 150 years old. Architecture lovers will be pleased but so will foodies, who can find all-natural, preservative-free Spanish honey.
Bodegas Enrique Mendoza
The passion of Pepe Mendoza – the second generation of the Mendoza estate – just pours out upon visits to this winery. He works tirelessly around the clock crafting his wines, avoiding pesticides, hormones and chemicals while infuses plenty of love. Pepe adores his craft so much that he'll often be found in the vineyard come rain or shine – literally. One of his favorite activities is tasting under a tree while rain or storm watching.
If you call ahead, you can arrange a similar tasting – when it's sunny – but it's really for only those who share his level of passion. You'll have to walk through some sand and possibly mud to get to the best spot, but there you'll be rewarded with great wines paired with chorizo and manchego. Alternately, there are more traditional wine tastings and tours. From 20 euros, you a thorough 90-minute experience, which includes tasting of several wines paired with various snacks.
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What's Nearby: Alicante
Alicante is one of Spain's best kept secrets. While the masses flock to the beaches of Barcelona, Mallorca and San Sebastian, Alicante offers beautiful shores without the hordes. If you're visiting Bodega Enrique Mendoza, you can unwind on a nearby beach afterwards, which are about 30-45 minutes away.
Pagos Marques De Grinon
Marques de Grinon is a gorgeous winery about an hour outside of Madrid. Come in spring and you'll be treated to endless fields of vibrant poppies as you make your turn into the winery.
Onsite, one of the most unique things to see is the remnants of a tree in the vineyard that fell over due to a storm in 2016. What's unique about it is that the roots have uncovered, exposing a deep dive into the very unique soil that the winery is working with. From clay, to soil, to ... it's all evident. Normally, that wouldn't be visible to the naked eye. That special soil and microclimate – along with refined skill – is what allowed them to become the first winery in all of Spain to grow Syrah and Petit Verdot.
Come for the wines, stay for a lovely lunch. From in-house gazpachos to cool you off, to roast local chickens to warm you up, you'll be tongue will treated like a Marques. And while their wines are elegant and very fairly priced, their luxurious olive oil – a relatively new venture for the winery – is an absolute steal at 10 euros a bottle.
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What's Nearby: Las Esparteras Asador
About halfway to the winery is a Las Esparteras Asador, a truck stop unlike anything you've ever seen. While the typical perception of a truck stop paints a dingy and grimy picture, this one is a find. They're wine selection trumps most restaurants, as do their gin options. An array of well-executed tapas and pintxos line the bar while further in is a special oven where local legs of lamb are roasted to perfection. Want to take something on the road? The finest of canned goods like mussels, octopus and tuna – all Spanish delicacies – are on display behind lock and key, of course.
Travel expenses for this article were paid for by Cantón and Grandes Pagos de España.