Try to imagine: an award-winning winery, hotel and restaurant – all built into a restored 12th century abbey in Spain. A small group of wine writers were tasked with that very thing a couple of weeks ago. And between a stellar wine and food pairing luncheon with Abadia Retuerta LeDomaine GM Enrique Valero Quintana and Tesse restaurant partner Jordan Ogron, it was accomplished, and then some. Let me give you Part One of your taste now:
With just a slice of a view of Sunset Blvd., surrounded by rows and rows of bottles of fine wine, ornate decanters, a tantalizing menu and centered on a dining table set with multiple wine glasses, we had the perfect backdrop at Tesse.
As we took our seats Quintana started to tell us about the unique abbey turned destination winery in the Duero Valley, and we quickly learned why the property deserved attention:
- Award winning winery.
- Spain’s leading hotel.
- Michelin-star Restaurant.
- Restored Medieval Abbey, built 1146.
- 1730 acres.
- All surrounded by streams, woods and wildlife.
- Wines have scored in Wine Spectator’s Top 100 list for three consecutive years.
- 210 hectares under vine, 70% of which is Tempranillo, followed by Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Merlot and Petit Verdot.
- LeDomaine’s score in the Conde Nast Readers’ Choice Awards was 99.52, ranking it #1 on the list of the Top Hotels in Spain and Portugal – and #2 in Europe. This was a five star hotel.
- Quintana said that the location by the River Duero “gives us a unique soil and climate” and “the human factor” adds to the allure.
- This is the “rebirth of a historical vineyard” as wines were produced on the estate centuries ago.
- The “building is something unique” in Spain.
- Their “Spa Sommelier” recommends a wine that depends on the treatments you decide to have. And this is the first in the world.
- Their purple “wine salt” is an “old formula” that was discovered when a ship traveled from Britain to Spain, carrying both wine and salt which were “accidentally blended.”
- When we sampled the wines we would “feel the soul of what happened there for nine centuries.”
- All rooms face the vineyards.
- They “restored what they inherited.”
- In 2014 the Queen of Spain gave them the best restoration award.
- “We blend the natural environment, the historic (building) with the human factor…the people that work here and (treat) clients as guests.” These employees are the “apostles of the project.”
Shall we visit? Only two hours from Madrid…here’s a short You Tube video to complete your virtual tour and here are the photos from our luncheon.
For my review of the wines and the luncheon please return to this website on 2/22.
Abadia Retuerta LeDomaine Hotel, Winery, Refectorio and Santuario Spa
Abadía Retuerta LeDomaine opened as a luxury hotel in 2012 after an award-winning restoration of the ancient abbey. Located in Sardón de Duero, the wine country north of Madrid, it is widely acclaimed as the finest luxury hotel in Spain.
Abadía Retuerta Winery boasts 54 vine plots each with very distinct characteristics, each analyzed, controlled, worked, vinified and tasted separately. Each terroir is planted with a single varietal or grape variety, either Tempranillo, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Merlot or Petit Verdot. It is among the most advanced wineries in Europe combining ancient wine-making traditions with cutting-edge technology.
Refectorio is a sanctuary of haute cuisine, located in the abbey’s original refectory where the monks ate their meals, boasting One Michelin Star. Executive Chef Marc Segarra’s delectable dishes are served under a vaulted Gothic ceiling and a 17th-century fresco of The Last Supper.
The nurturing and innovative sanctuary of holistic healing and wellness features 10,000-sq.-ft. of ultra-luxurious facilities, a ground-breaking “fusion wine” oenotherapy spa concept based on a blind tasting of wines, a signature treatment menu, Spain’s first ‘Spa Sommeliers’ who guide guests on their wellness journey, and the highest level of individualization and guest service including Spa Butlers who welcome guests and assist at every step of their spa experience.
Abadía Retuerta LeDomaine
www.ledomaine.es
Eve Bushman has a Level Two Intermediate Certification from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET), a “certification in first globally-recognized course” as an American Wine Specialist ® from the North American Sommelier Association (NASA), Level 1 Sake Award from WSET, was the subject of a 60-minute Wine Immersion video (over 16k views), authored “Wine Etiquette for Everyone” and has served as a judge for the Long Beach Grand Cru and the Global Wine Awards. You can email Eve@EveWine101.com to ask a question about wine or spirits. You can also seek her marketing advice via Eve@EveBushmanConsulting.com
