stephaniej364
24 May 2022
On our first trip to Spain, we knew we wanted to do a wine tour and came across Don Federico on Tripadvisor. It was a good way for us to make use of our time and see as much as we could in the day we had. I think we were there first tour since the pandemic! We got to see a few different wineries including tasting directly between the vines and going into the underground bodegas! We also got an amazing lunch with multiple delicious courses. It was a pretty hot day and they were even great about figuring out last minute 'side tours' to cool down (stop to have a drink in a square or beat the heat in a random church). Lots of great conversation and memories. We were picked up from our hotel and door-to-door everything was taken care of for us which felt amazing. We'd definitely recommend this to anyone looking to devote a day to wine!
Federico is a gentleman and scholar of the wine, the history and the region. He regaled our group with stories and knowledge. We toured top notch “off the beaten track” wineries- meeting the owners, learning about their wine and their passions. We were treated to a delicious Michelin restaurant for a memorable lunch of local specialities. Toured a small town, chatted with locals, tasted wine from a bodega of a nanogenarian. Photo ops everywhere. It is a day we will remember and put in the life “highlight reel”
The La Ruta de Don Frederico experience will, at a minimum, introduce you to young wine makers, pre-phylloxera 100 year plus vines, castle hotels, local innovators, family bodegas, and gastronomical delights.
Frederick and Maria Jose will understand your preferences including food choices, knowledge of Castille-Leon, budget, energy level,/health, Spanish language skills, wine knowledge, and prior Spanish travel experiences. They are incredibly timely, responsive, and thoughtful.
In our case, we had been in Portugal for two weeks before meeting with Frederick. He picked us up at the Madrid airport and eased us into a precise tour of Segovia. We opted to delve deep into the wines of the area and started with a local restaurant and four local wines. Frederick has a deep understanding of the Segovia architecture, politics, art, food, and local personalities. Later that evening we were introduced to the owner of a historic 15th century hotel in Topas. Our room was spectacular. We were treated to a solo tour of a Renaissance palace, the surrounding grounds, and a wine tasting of seven local wineries and a four-course meal. Early the next morning, we set off for Fariza, Mamoles, Formariz, Fermoselle, and Villar del Buey. We met talented wine makers/spouses, chefs, and families that have deep roots in the area stretching back many generations. All throughout the trip, Frederick took videos and photos capturing the magic. The third day we had a comprehensive tour of Salamanca. This Salamanca wasn’t the standard day tour bus tour you’d get from a Madrid operator. We were with locals/docents eating, drinking, and mingling with friendly folks. We purchased wines and spirits we cannot find in the United States and Frederick is helping us identify a distributor that can arrange for us to purchase some of Spain’s most amazing wines. The lodging and of the beaten track visits were lovely. We left Frederick and Maria with a detailed plan of our fourth day in Madrid. Frederick arranged for us to stay in an apartment/hotel and directed to traditional and non traditional sites to visit and eat at. He put together a twenty plus page writeup for the Madrid last leg. If we had a week in Madrid, we would have been set with his insights.
Frederick was a former corporate executive who has a voracious appetite for life. If he lived in our area, he’d be a good friend. Maria is charming and a joy to be with. We enjoyed being with the trail blazers who Frederick and Maria Jose introduced us to in the Castille-Leon area.
In the near future, we will be coming back, with friends, for a more extended tour of the area.