Los Grandes de la Rioja: Tuesday 14th September – evening colours of Rioja

Tempranillo in the Amancio vineyard, Señorio de San Vicente

Our final visit was to Señorio de San Vicente, which was also part of the 2008 programme. It was one of the few times on the Los Grandes programme that we were shown a vineyard. For many of us a look at the vineyard is usually far more interesting than a winery visit unless there is often something unusual to see.

We were lucky as it was a fantastic evening and the top of this vineyard overlooks the River Ebro. The light was wonderful with the hillsides picked out with delicate, warm browns and greens.

We visited the vineyard whose grapes go into Amancio. These are some of the most marginal in Rioja because of the altitude. Fortunately they are protected from the Atlantic weather by the Sierra Cantabria range.

Vineyards and the Sierra Cantabria (above and below)

One of the traditional vineyard workers huts