Thabuca - Rioja Wine Tours — Attraction in Labastida/Bastida

Wow, sometimes it is hard to describe just how great of an experience you had. As if the words are not enough. We were traveling to the area for the second time in the same year and wanted to have a different experience than we had the first time, which was fun but filled with running around Haro to different Bodegas, trying to capture the best we could find in just six short hours. This time we wanted to relax and have a different kind of fun. Thabuca was responsive to our needs from the very first email communication. At one point, we felt snobby asking for a specific dining experience, but they reassured us they understood our desires and it was nothing out of the norm. We were picked up from our San Sebastian stay and brought into Rioja, our driver was the absolute most pleasant man we could have encountered. The trip was more memorable because of him (Thank you Mr. Inaki!!!). Upon arrival to Haro, Gentzane met us with an infectious smile and from the moment we met, we knew we were going to have a great day together. After the first 10 minutes, it stopped feeling like a tour and it felt like four friends having a day out together; one with an extensive knowledge of the area and the world class wine it produces, one designated driver who also taught us about the areas we drove through as well as the rest of Northern Spain, the other two (us) seemingly along for the ride. The Bodegas (Amarena and Cor de mei) were absolute class and we couldnt help buy a few bottles from both stops. We begged for a dining experience that we would taste for years and man oh man did Gentzane deliver. Alboroque plated a 5-course tasting menu that sent us to space. Everything local and you can tell the Chef (and his wife) has top-flight experience. If you are looking for anything wine or tour related in Rioja, you would be silly to look elsewhere. The literal original, Thabuca, was the best tour/excursion experience either of us have ever had. We look forward going back to this area just so we can...

We thoroughly enjoyed our “Rioja Discovery” tour of 2 wineries and LaGuardia - a perfect way to get out to the country and learn about wines and local culture and history.

Our guide, Marta, was absolutely lovely. It was like having a friend show you around her home town. Marta arranged two very different wineries for us. One was a small family run boutique, and the other was a medium sized producer. Both made excellent wines and had interesting tours. The smaller winery is one of the vey few run by women, and it was great to get some history as perspective from them.

Marta was also very generous with her time in answering questions and tailoring the tour to our needs.

And a couple of days later we got stuck in Haro due to a train strike and weren’t sure how to get to our next destination. Marta graciously accepted a phone call from us and emailed instructions that helped us get to a bus and onward to our final destination. Above and beyond service, and a truly lovely person.

If you’re looking for hospitality, knowledge and a fun tour, book here...

Impossible to find a better company than Thabuca to design a memorable experience in Rioja! We have used Thabuca several times in the past and are looking forward to the next time we are in that beautiful part of the world. Each tour we have done with Thabuca is a totally different experience from those that have gone before. The company (and Carol in particular) have a seemingly endless network of prestigious contacts, including not only the big names, but also those small boutique vineyards and wineries that you would never learn about (let alone find!) on your own, but which you will never forget.

We have found Thabuca to be exceptionally responsive to our emails, as well as to any questions we have. They are professional, dependable and work hard to craft an itinerary that will insure an unforgettable day sampling the best wines and the glorious food of the region.

If you are planning on being near Rioja, do yourself a favor and touch base with Thabuca before...