5 Spanish bodegas — idealista/news

Wine tourism in Spain has grown up a lot in the last few years. People are now planning whole weekends to Spain’s best wineries, featuring design hotels and long lunches in the vineyards. With over 100 wine appellations, Spain is one of the easiest places in Europe to mix culture, food and wine in one trip.

Why Spain is perfect for wine tourism

Spain sits alongside France and Italy as one of the world’s top three wine producers. It has more vineyard area than any other country in Europe, and several of the world’s best wineries are recognised on international lists. For visitors, that sheer scale means choice. You can spend a weekend hopping between cellars in Rioja, or follow some of the best Spanish wine routes around family-run estates on the Atlantic coast.

The beauty of Spain for wine lovers is how close the vineyards sit to the cities you’re probably flying into anyway. Barcelona opens the door to cava country, Madrid is a handy springboard for Ribera del Duero, and Seville gives you Jerez and sherry. Up in the north, Bilbao and Santiago de Compostela put you within easy reach of serious wine country, including regions producing some of Spain’s top-rated wines.

The 5 best wineries in Spain to visit in 2025

Cavas Codorníu, Cava

Codorníu is one of those places that appeals even if you’re not a hardcore wine geek. Founded in the 16th century and often credited as one of the pioneers of cava, it combines history, architecture and very drinkable bubbles in one neat package.

Why it’s worth the trip

• The main reason to come is the modernist winery complex in Sant Sadurní d’Anoia, designed by Puig i Cadafalch.
• It’s also a genuinely easy winery visit to tack onto a Barcelona stay: you can be walking among the vines in roughly an hour by car or train.
• The underground cellars stretch for kilometres and are a bit of a world in themselves.
• The guided visits tend to include a small train ride through part of the wine labyrinth.

Bodega Protos, Ribera del Duero

Bodega Protos sits at the foot of Peñafiel’s hilltop castle, right in the heart of Ribera del Duero. It was one of the first wineries to push this region onto the international stage, and it still feels like a benchmark for Ribera reds.

Why it’s worth the trip

• The modern winery, designed by Richard Rogers, sits beneath the castle with vineyards rolling off into the distance. You get that classic “castle over vines” view almost as soon as you arrive.
• Architecturally, it’s a good contrast to the older, more traditional wineries in the area.
• For anyone curious about the difference between Ribera del Duero and Rioja reds, Protos is a handy crash course. 

Palacio de Fefiñanes, Albariño

In the fishing town of Cambados in Rías Baixas, Palacio de Fefiñanes offers a very Galician take on wine tourism: stone palaces, Atlantic breezes and bright, seafood-friendly Albariño.

Why it’s worth the trip

• The winery is housed in a 16th-century palace, so you’re walking through cloisters and courtyards rather than a modern industrial estate.
• Fefiñanes is widely recognised as one of the first producers to bottle Albariño under its own name.
• The location makes it easy to combine wine with seaside lunches in nearby villages, which is really where Rías Baixas shines.

Bodegas Marqués de Riscal, Rioja

Marqués de Riscal, in Elciego, is one of Rioja’s best-known names and one of the most striking examples of modern winery architecture anywhere in Europe. It’s also one of the easiest spots to settle in for a night or two, thanks to the on-site design hotel and spa.

Why it’s worth the trip

• The Frank Gehry–designed hotel is the big draw visually, with its sweeping titanium ribbons and bold colours standing out against the old stone village.
• As a winery, Marqués de Riscal is a classic producer with a long history, so tastings tend to give a good overview of traditional Rioja styles alongside some fresher takes.
• The wider “City of Wine” complex offers more than a quick tour: there’s a spa, restaurant and walking routes through the vineyards.

Bodegas Tío Pepe (González Byass), Jerez

If you’re curious about sherry but don’t really know where to start, Bodegas Tío Pepe in Jerez de la Frontera is a very approachable introduction. It’s one of Spain’s most famous sherry brands, and its central location makes it simple to fold into a wider Andalusia wine tour.

Why it’s worth the trip

• The bodegas sit right by Jerez’s historic centre, so you can step out of a tasting straight into narrow streets, tapas bars and flamenco venues.
• González Byass has been producing sherry since the 19th century, and Tío Pepe is a household name in Spain.
• For anyone who thinks they “don’t like sherry”, the range of styles on offer – from bone-dry finos to richer, nuttier wines – is a bit of an eye-opener.