Are you ready to spend a few days in Valencia to experience the magic of this two thousand year old city? Discover your secrets, shop, sign up for countless activities, enjoy the best paella in the world on the shores of the Mediterranean ... A good plan! But.... You would certainly like to taste the Valencian wines, wouldn't you? Why choose Valencian wines?
Did you know that Valencia has had a wine-growing tradition since the times of the Iberians? That there are two Denominations of Origin (D.O.) of great prestige in our province: Utiel-Requena and Valencia? That of 18 DO de pago (comparable to French terroirs) are in Valencia? That you can taste wonderful wines in the local wine cellars or take part in a moonlit night grape harvest? If you didn't know it yet, or have already had this experience, but would like to enjoy it again, we are happy to be your guide. Come with us
In the beginning there was wine
More than 2,700 years ago in Kelín, in the interior of the province, wine was already cultivated and this drink, so linked to Western culture, was tasted. Tens of thousands of amphorae and millions of bottles later, Valencian wines have conquered distant lands through the Mare Nostrum. Today there are two DOs that regulate and guarantee the quality of the wines: Utiel-Requena and Valencia. The foundation of the Escuela de Viticultura y Enología de Requena,
58 years ago, enabled younger generations to take control of family businesses and turn centuries-old wineries into production sites for prestigious premium wines recognized by Robert Parker, the guru. His world-famous wine guide The Wine Advocate has, among many other excellent examples, "Maduresa" (Celler del Roure), "Simeta" y "Micalet" (Javier Revert Viticultores), "Los Frailes 1771" (Bodega Los Frailes) or "Mestizaje 2017". (Bodegas Mustiguillo) with more than 90 points. You haven't tasted these wines yet, but would like to? Ask in the offices of the Ruta del Vino and taste the wines in situ. You can also visit these Vinotecas in Valencia and buy the wines or taste them in an exciting tasting session: Original CV", "El Corte Inglés" or "Mantequería Vicente Ferrero".
From our Bobal grape to "our" Tuscany
Even though you will find a wide range of oenological offers, don't miss the opportunity to get to know the wines from the local grape, the Bobal, which you won't find anywhere else in the world! Science tells us that Bobal is one of the grape varieties with the highest content of resveratrol, a heart-healthy anti-cancer chemical found in red wine. If you just want to enjoy a wine made from this grape or want to spoil yourself with a coupage, what more could you wish for? Every DO Requena winery produces wines of this variety.
Visit this region, just an hour from València, and complete your experience with adventure sports in the Las Hoces del Cabriel Natural Park. After the rafting, the next stage takes us to the so-called Terres dels Alforins, in the heart of the so-called Valencian Tuscany. Eleven highly recommended wineries have joined forces to promote their wines to the DO Valencia. We will visit beautiful landscapes that offer a variety of colours depending on the season, with stately manors with terra di siena-coloured walls, and small whitewashed farms, which are reached via roads with high trees. The extensive vineyards, which are always present, complete this unique landscape.
Without leaving Valencia
But if you are a pure city person and do not like activities that generate adrenalin or are eager to make the most of your stay without leaving the city, don't despair, we have something for you too. Valencia appreciates its fame as an attractive monumental city and specializes in hedonistic experiences. Without leaving the city, you can dedicate yourself to a gastronomic experience of the first order: the combination of wine and tapas. There is no better complement to one of the most unique proposals in Spanish culinary tradition than to accompany it with a red, a rosé, a white... or whatever.
This proposal can be supplemented by a visit to some wineries, celler in the national language from the Middle Ages. Located in the heart of the old town of Ciutat Vella, the Celler Proava offers a perfectly preserved ensemble, despite its 800-year history, where wine tastings can be held, but also tastings of local, handmade products such as
Sausage, cheese or tinned food. Outside the city centre, in the museum room of Bombas Gens, there is a combination of industrial archaeology and first-class gastronomy, as the complex also houses the city's only Michelin two-star restaurant, the Ricard Camarena Restaurant.
The best of the best
If you haven't quenched your thirst yet, perhaps it's time to get to know our four DO de Pago, which have the greatest recognition among Spain's wines. These are exemplary experiences in the French Grand Cru Classé tradition, linked to a terroir where the grapes are harvested in an almost artisanal way. The wines made from these grapes range from wines aged in barrels for just a few months to long matured red wines (tintos de guarda).
Finca El Terrerazo, Chozas Carrascal, Vera de Estenas and Pago de Los Balagueses complete this selection. Night falls and our journey is nearing its end. What could be a better way to end our trip than harvesting the white Albariños grapes during the night with our friends from the Bodega Pago de Tharsys? After a cold dinner, 50 guests will have the chance to take part when the sun stops burning and all the organoleptic qualities of this exceptional variety are preserved. A headlamp helps us to fulfil this rite of initiation in the moonlight, a rite that guarantees that good Valencian wine will be bottled next year.
