Now, more about the wine Vivanca Wine. The Museum is owned by the Vivanco family and houses some 40 years of collecting objects of art and wine making by Pedro Vivanco and his family. The Museum was inaugurated by King Juan Carlos I in 2004 and has been expanded since. All the pieces are original with a history of their own. This is a universal Museum. It takes one through the 8000 year history of the Wine Culture from its first traces until today and its different forms across the world. The museum is educational and includes interactive audiovisual support. Not only does the Museum share the passion of the Vivanco family, it shows why wine has always been a civilizing element with man and and how man cannot easily do without it. Today this Museum is respected as one of the great icons of the Culture of Wine in the world. The Vivanco family are proud of this and continue to share their passion with Spain and the World.
We took a lot of pictures again today, especially of the phenomenal art collection in the wine museum. They have over 22 Picasso's, a Mark Chagall, Andy Warhol, David Hockman (currently the most expensive living artist), and numerous items in their art collection dating back to the time of Christ and before.
We depart our hotel Calle Mayor and taxi toward Briones in the heart of the Rioja region
We pass the lonely bull, symbol of Rioja, a few miles before Briones.
We arrive at the Vivanco winery at 10:30. We have a few minutes to tour the grounds before they open at 11:00 am.
Here is Judi and Chris in the Vivanco vineyards with the hill town of Briones in back. We were here with Juan Carlos in a previous tour in 2017. We had a great tour then and celebrated with a feast in one of the best Restaurante's in Briones.
The winery is surrounded by over 100 hectares of grapes. Here is a view to the north with an old castle in the backdrop. The winery has over 10 varietals of grapes growing here. Most of the production is Tempranilla, the primary grape in Rioja wines, but there is also Grenache and a number of varietals of white wines including Chardonnay.
A view to the east includes another small castle overlooking this portion of Vivanco vineyards.
In the garden is a sculpture of Bacchus, the Roman God of wine and revelry
It is 11:00 am and time for our tour. Lisa, Jon Lynn and Judi are getting a little giddy.
Our tour leader, Eduardo, is one of Vivanco's most experienced guides having worked in these Vineyards since 2004. He and his family live in nearby Briones. He starts the tour by pouring each of us a lovely White Rioja (named for the region). What a lovely way to start with a delightful white wine to accompany a discussion on the history of winemaking. Here are Vivanco's top 3 wines, a white (left), Rose', Rioja Red.
There are 7 of us on the tour. We Five and Loren Schellenberg (Founder of National Jazz Museum in Harlem). Sister Chris is a big Jazz fan and her Husband Ron was a well known Jazz photographer who Loren knew. Chris and Loren enjoyed the time together on the tour.
We looked at the tools of winemaking. Here is 200 year old wine press used in large production grape crushing.
A turn-of the century gas driven tractor to cultivate, plow, and tow wagons used in transport.
We watched an entire film about barrel making, one of the most important parts of aging and flavoring wine. French Oak is highly popular but nearly twice the expense of American Oak.
Often the barrels are toasted with flame inside to amplify the oak flavor. A new barrel of French Oak goes for 1200, American Oak for $800. These may be used for 5-7 years.
We next went to the wine cellar where barrels of wine are aged. This was the largest wine cellar we've ever seen. Here we have another tasting with Eduardo, this time with Vivanco's Rioja Reserve.
Barrels of wine as far as the eye can see. The winery has over 4000 sq meters of storage space.
Here Eduardo introduced us to the concept of "Wine as a Sacred Drink". Wine has permeated our historical cultures and has enjoys significance in Christendom, for example the parable of the Wine at the Wedding Feast and the use of wine in Communion services for Catholic and Protestant services.
Here is a collection of wine goblet used before the time of Christ. Each had a particular function in the drinking of wine.
Here is a sheep's head goblet, from the first century AD. The bust of Baachus is one of many in the museum. The "magical" power of wine in celebration was typified by Baachus, the ancient Greek god of wine, fertility, ritual madness, theater, and religious ecstasy. He may have been worshiped as early as 1500 BCE. ... He was the son of Zeus., making Dionysus (or Bacchus) a hero of Roman Culture.
Wine plays an important role in many new testament stories, including the last supper shown here in one of the last supper pieces in the museum.
Here is a museum piece by Andy Warhol next to a Marc Chagall, both illustrating wine as an inspiration.
One of 22 Picasso's in the Vivanco collection.
Another Picasso depicting the 3 themes he includes in most of his works, i.e. the man with a two-horned instrument, man with 2 cymbals, and a goat. You will see these themes repeated in many Picasso works.
There are also 4,000 different corkscrews in the collection, by far the most in any single collection.
We come to the end of our tour as Eduardo arranges a final tasting with Mike, Judi, Eduardo, Lisa, John Lynn, Chris, and Loren
Awaiting our taxi ride to Najero, our overnight stop before resuming our Camino Journey tomorrow.
As we are leaving, we run into our tour guide from 2017, Miranda Sanches. All the guides at Vivanco are exceptional.
Did we have a good time? Lisa and Judi sure think so. More tomorrow when we resume our Camino journey from Najera to Santo Domingo De La Calzada. For now, Buen Camino!
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