Winemaker for a day, with children
This activity has been specially designed so you and your children can be the protagonists of an ancient tradition: viticulture. In other words, the cultivation of grapevines and the production of wine.
With the guidance of a professional you’ll be able to carry out different activities in the vineyards and winery, as well as obtain in-depth knowledge of all the work associated to producing a good Rioja wine.
Learn by practising
The aim of this workshop is to help children understand the basic features of the landscape, as well as the vegetation, grapes, must and wine. We want to show them that wine is a natural product that forms part of our culture and our lives.
A 3-hour experience
Participate for a whole morning during which you and your children will learn all about the tasks associated to viticulture in the vineyard, and winemaking in the winery.
Different all year round
Learn different activities at each time of year: grape harvesting, pruning, debudding, leaf removal, grape maturity sampling…
Rioja-style appetiser
Enjoy an appetiser with Rioja products and learn to drink wine from a wineskin (children drink grape juice).
Experiments in the winery
The children will be in charge of the experiments that will help you understand wine fermentation.
A story in the winery
Visit a traditional family winery of Rioja. Inside its 16th-century cave, the children will listen to a story related to wine.
Take home a souvenir
You’ll be able to choose a wine that you will bottle, cork and label with the help of the youngest members of the family.
Activity gallery
A picture is worth a thousand words. Look at us having fun!
In the vineyard
Close-up of tractor
Pruning
Snack on the vineyard
Experiments on the winery
Grape stomping
Press
Doing grape juice
Tasting grapes
Tale in the cellar
Bottling
Labelling
Where does the activity take place?
In Fuenmayor, a village of about three thousand inhabitants located only 12 km from Logroño.
Fuenmayor is one of the most important places in the history of Rioja wine. At present there are over twelve Rioja wineries, some of which are more than 100 years old. There are also numerous restaurants.
GPS coordinates: 42.467 N, 2.562 W.
Testimonials
Booking the activity
If you want to do the activity you need to book in advance. You can either phone Riojatrek on (+34) 941 587 354 or (+34) 679 010 804, or fill in the form below and we will contact you:
FAQs
Can I do the activity with children?
Yes. If you come as a family we adapt the activity according to the children’s ages. Small children only a year old, or even younger babies, have joined in the wine tour either sitting in their strollers or baby carriers. They obviously understand better and enjoy themselves more when they are at least two or three years old. Although the visit lasts about three hours, children don’t have time to get bored because they start off frolicking about during the walk through the vineyard, looking at plants, little animals and helping their parents. Then they help us with the experiments in the winery and they are amazed by the story we tell them in the underground wine cellar and, finally, they help the grown-ups to bottle the wine.
The activity is a real adventure for children.
I’m travelling alone. Can I do the activity?
Yes. We usually require a minimum number of people to do the activity but if you’re travelling alone we’ll try to fit you in an existing group.
Is lunch offered during the wine tour?
No. After the group activity in the vineyards and before going to the winery, visitors are offered an appetiser with Rioja products: chorizo, paté, wine… It isn’t lunch, more like a mid-morning snack.
Is the wine tour appropriate for people with reduced mobility (elderly people, children’s strollers, wheelchairs, etc.)?
The activity starts off in the vineyards of Fuenmayor and then continues in our harvester’s winery. The walk through the vineyards is in a flat and safe area and takes place at a relaxed pace to enable visitors to listen to the corresponding explanations. However, the path is quite stony and unsuitable for wheelchairs, although children’s strollers can be wheeled along without too much trouble. In the winery, there are some steps that lead down to the 16th-century underground cellar but because there are no mechanical escalators, wheelchairs cannot enter inside.
How long in advance must I book an activity?
To ensure you can take part in the activity, it is a good idea to make your booking at least one or two weeks in advance. On certain dates with increased demand, such as Easter week, national holidays and throughout the harvesting season (September and October) we recommend booking at least one month in advance.
What is the name of the winery we visit?
The wine tour includes a visit to the winery owned by the family of Marina, the manager of Riojatrek. It is a small traditional harvester’s winery, located in the district of El Cristo in Fuenmayor, which is built upon a 16th-century cellar dug out in the rock. It doesn’t have a commercial name and neither does it bottle wine for selling to the public.
What happens if it rains or the weather is bad?
The wine tour takes place in the open air (in the vineyards) and inside (in the winery). In the event of rain, we start the visit in the winery and if after it has finished the bad weather continues, we do a different activity related to viticulture inside the winery.
Is it possible to join in the harvest or tread grapes?
Yes, as long as you come during the harvesting season. There isn’t a set date for harvesting as it depends on the weather. In La Rioja it is usually carried out at the end of September or beginning of October. However, throughout October, even if the harvest has finished, visitors can glean the vines, which consists of harvesting the small bunches of grapes that weren’t ripe when the harvesting took place.
But there’s no need to worry because we do other interesting activities all through the year: pruning, debudding, flowering, leaf removal, side shoot removal, green harvesting, maturity control…
Can I give someone the activity as a present?
Yes. Ask us for a gift voucher so your family members or friends can redeem it for the activity.
Do you accept stag and hen parties?
Yes. And we don’t mind if the future bride or groom dress up. All the hen and stag party groups we’ve had to date have been respectful and participated with great interest for the wine.
All the same, to prevent other people from feeling uncomfortable we usually arrange exclusive groups for this kind of party, so please let us know when you make your booking.