Getaria to Laguardia

Today was not a walking day, it was our driving day up over mountains to get to Laguardia, Spain. We are not along the coast anymore, but inland. The humidity is gone and the air is hot and dry once again. Along the route we stopped at Haro, a town known for it’s wine. We were here for about an hour, long enough for a few Kodak moments and a coffee.

From Haro we drove through high mountain country then fields and fields of grain. It wasn’t long before we entered into wine growing area as far as the eye could see. Yes, we were heading to the bodegas of Laguardia, Spain.

Laguardia is a gateway for experiencing the Rioja wine region and it is a good example of a walled village that has not change much since the 13th century. Sitting high on a rock foundation within the shadows of the mountains to the northwest, the city has retained its historic walls from the 13th century including its four entrance gates. During the Middle Ages residents dug deep in to the rock below their homes to create places for food storage and refuge during siege. When wine production became prominent in the region, the underground passages were found to be ideal for the fermentation of wine. Our group toured San Pedro, one of the old wine caves in the old city. From there they went to a modern, above ground winery, Hotel Marques de Riscal. I must say, Rick was in heaven in amongst all his favorite wines.