SPAIN - RUTA DEL WINO

Back on our bikes the next day we are taken by shuttle to begin our ride along the wine route from Aguilar de la Frontera to Morile, passing by typical lagares and bodegas selling local wines and goat cheese.

At lunch time we stopped at the most beautiful bodega in the area (where wine is aged not produced), Bodega Aragon Y Cia.

The large building was filled with barrels of wine stacked one upon another, in different stages of aging.

After lunch we are given a lesson on the process and are able to taste a variety of wines right from the barrel.

In the afternoon we rode the easy "rails to trails" path throught the beautiful countryside-

stopping occasionally to enjoy the scenery-

and frightening the local goats.

A group of us stopped by a sign in Cabra, near our hotel, to prove that we were in Spain.

Our hotel for the next two nights was the Fuente Las Piedras, a lovely modern complex.

It was a bit cool for the pool, but it was nice to look at.

The interion, while modern, still had lovely ornate ironwork and marble columns.

Before dinner we were treated to a cooking lesson by the chef, and several of our bikers participated in making this excellent Paella.