Rioja Wine Country Day Trip

We were Gregory's first Rioja tour since the pandemic and he had no problem shaking off the rust and showing us a great time. It was difficult going because we asked him for the tour not only with many of the wineries still closed for Covid, but also because we were at the front end of the harvest when many more wineries again will close to focus on that. He was still able to book us a full day of tasting (3 wineries, with great wine, tours, and other achievements that make them great like architectural or historical aspects), plus lunch, plus a walk around LaGuardia to shake off the need for a siesta. He even brought some homemade wine for our tasting, and which some of the winery employees and his friends tasted and give him a good ribbing. The guide made travel a breeze and we were lucky because after three wineries and a Spanish lunch we certainly had no business being behind the wheel. We enjoyed that Gregory was a fellow American. He is a world traveler and was able to share so many of his experiences with us. From the culinary world to the agricultural, from Florida to Paris to Cuba to San Sebastian, and including his love of the Basque Country which really resonated with us. We hope to be back and to be able to do another tour with him soon, maybe for the pintxos or for a cooking class.