“You can’t buy happiness. But you can buy wine, and that is the same thing.”
On Saturday, we took an hour and a half bus ride to Toro, Spain. We went to a Bodega (winery) called Valbusena, and we got a tour of exactly how the wine was made. The building and the setting were gorgeous, and it had an amazing aroma of wine. After the tour, we each were given a free bottle of rosé to take home (!).
We then walked down to the area where they grow the grapes, and we got to walk around and try each different kind. They were hands down the best grapes I’ve ever had, and I had no idea that there are so many different kinds. Each one I tried tasted completely different.
After we tried literally every kind, we drove to the actual town of Toro and had an hour of free time to explore. I wish we had a little more time, because it was a gorgeous place and we didn’t have time to see most of it. It is situated on a cliff, and the views of wine country were spectacular. Like the rest of Spain, it had incredible, old architecture full of beautiful history. We enjoyed some coffee and tapas, and then drove to a restaurant for a wine tasting.
This was definitely the best part of the day, in my opinion. The restaurant itself was extremely charming, with an old Spanish aesthetic. We sat at a long table, and a man explained to us what we would be trying. In total, we tried seven different types of wine: two rosés, two whites, and three reds. In between each glass, we had amazing food. The whole thing took about three hours. These wines didn’t taste like any I have ever had – I loved them all, even the reds, which I usually don’t like. The man explained the different tastes you experience on your tongue for each one. For example, with different wines you can taste the sweetness and bitterness in different areas of your mouth. Each wine was unique, but they were all amazing. Our program director explained to us that the Spanish drink their alcohol to actually enjoy it, not for the sole purpose of getting drunk like in the United States. They like to sit and savor, not chug. That is why it took so long, so that we had time to properly enjoy each one. Besides being extremely fun, it was also a really amazing cultural experience. Spanish wine country is an absolute must for any wine-lover.
Idly Wild 