- IMG_0160
Our meal consisted of toast spread with various pates and a blue goat cheese blended with some of the sidra that was astringent and delicious. - IMG_0073
A side effect of turning our back on wine was that we had some delicious dry cider (sidra) from Northern Spain, which you pour into glasses from great height to give it some foaminess. - IMG_0072
the remarkable-for-Spain beer list - IMG_0071
Always iconoclasts, we ended up in a beer bar for dinner during our night in wine country. In fairness, it had been practically impossible to find decent beer thus far. Plus, Leslie was in the throws of a cold and needed some heathful Franziskaner to heal properly. - IMG_2583
cathedral in the dark - IMG_2582
Bryan enjoys our "obligatory" glass of wine in the hotel lobby. When in La Rioja... - IMG_2581
Almost without exception, our hotels had wonderful teensy balconies - IMG_2580
view from our hotel balcony in Logroño - IMG_2579
We were very excited to see this bull silhouette, which was featured on the cover of our guidebook, until we drove a little more and realized they're all over the damn place. - IMG_2578
again - IMG_2576
more stunningly red grapewines - IMG_0067
another playground! this one wine-grape themed - IMG_0066
including the inevitably naughty ones - IMG_2575
purportedly the world's largest corkscrew collection - IMG_0065
the real wine cellars - IMG_2574
okay, and popular art - IMG_2573
an exhibit of wine-related fine art - IMG_2572
An exhibit with all the aromas found in Rioja wine, smellable - IMG_2571
a triple-press, each with an individual, religiousy name - IMG_2570
another giant-ass press - IMG_2569
more tools for barrel-making - IMG_2568
corks-in-progress - IMG_2567
barrel-making exhibit - IMG_2566
more old presses - IMG_2565
Bryan poses and Leslie fails to align a shot with a giant old wine press. - IMG_2564
This museum had a fabulous amount of historical equipment for wine growing, harvesting, pressing, bottling... - IMG_2563
photo and tools used by winemakers of the 19th century - IMG_2562
Spanish grape varieties - IMG_2559
another look at Briones from the parking lot of the Dinastia Vivanco museum - IMG_2558
Leslie, vineyard