I participated in a roundtrip Winebus tour from Madrid to the town of Toro, in northwest Spain on May 30, 2015. It has been my great privilege and pleasure in life to have visited wineries and participated in organized wine tours all over the world. My Winebus tour to taste the wines of the Toro region rates at the top of the list. Anyone can take you to a few vineyards and call it a tour, but helping you to experience a region is something else: it was a truly special and personal experience.
After a failed attempt to find a daytrip to Ribera del Duero, my hotel concierge hooked me up with Ignacio Segovia Martínez (Nacho), the owner of Winebus. Nacho offered me a unique opportunity to attend a local wine festival in the town of Toro. Rather than visiting the standard two or three wineries, we were able to sample wines from 20 (or so) different wineries that had set up tents on the floor of the Plaza de Toros. The antithesis of a snooty French or commercial California event: It was a charming and intimate affair attended by winery owners, local growers and townsfolk. Everyone was amiable and chatty, happy to strike up a conversation with a complete stranger (I felt like I was in the grocery line back in Texas). My poor Spanish skills were not an impediment as Nacho was delighted to interpret for both sides. Following the tasting, Nacho organized a tour of the town of Toro using a third party guide. The knowledgeable local woman talked to us about the history of Toro as we walked through town and two of the most impressive religious buildings. (Note: it’s not that Winebus doesn’t offer more conventional tours ... In this instance, Nacho found the local festival and created the tour to take advantage its availability).
In my experience, participating in a local wine festival is an unusual format for a wine tour, but what really sets the Winebus apart from other tours is the owner, Nacho. In addition to being warm, engaging and knowledgeable, he has found the right balance between wine and culture. By the end of the tour, I had learned about more than the wines of Toro: I was given a glimpse into the history and culture of the region and its people. Nacho (and his lovely partner, Ana) made it unforgettable.
PS. Just because I haven’t waxed on about the wines, don’t think they weren’t memorable. Like Ribera del Duero, the wines of the Toro region made from Tempranillo. I found the old vine offerings from Liberalia and Valbusendo with 12 month (or more) barrel aging to have great depth, structure and intensity. My only regret is that the wineries didn’t have large bottle formats available for purchase at the festival.
Sincerely,
Jim Bogardus (Houston, Texas)