Everyday, Luxury Travel, Europe, Spain

Wine and Wellness at Abadía Retuerta LeDomaine

July 17, 2017

A unique and beautiful hotel and a Michelin-starred restaurant located in one of Spain’s most sought after wine regions…it really is no wonder that Abadía Retuerta LeDomaine is one of the best hotels in Spain and an absolute mecca for foodies. The location of Ribera del Duero informs several aspects of the hotel and not only is the estate’s wine served in the restaurant, but the spa concept is also based around wine!
From our bedroom window we could see the surrounding vineyards and simply steps away from the hotel you can be surrounded by grapes…
And just like our monastery-turned-luxury hotel, these vineyards are centuries old.

The monks of the order of Saint Norbert were given terras et vineas (land and vines) in Duero Valley and ever since then the land surrounding the Abbey has been dedicated to the vine and also to the pursuit of tranquility. Honestly, I can think of very few situations more peaceful than to be away from the crowds and among the vines. The estate itself is fairly young and recently celebrated 25 years of producing fantastic quality wines in this beautiful location.

During our stay the hotel arranged for a full tour Abadía Retuerta and the opportunity to try some of the wines. There’s no need to worry about getting all hot and bothered walking through the 700-hectare vineyard, instead we were picked up directly from the hotel in a smart, air-conditioned four by four. Climbing up the hill, the first point of interest was this 300 year old tree which is one of many ancient trees to be found on the estate – it’s actually twelve metres tall and has a diameter of 108m.

We also had a great vantage point of the hotel from here – isn’t it magnificent? I’ve really never seen anything like it!

The wines here are made only from the very best grapes and the climate of very hot summer and cold winters is ideal for growing.
Our guide showed us through the plots, each of which has a different composition of soil and altitude meaning each contains only one grape variety. Tempranillo grapes are king here and wines must contain 75% of the grape to be recognised by the D.O of Ribera del Duero. However, our guide explained that Abadía Retuerta is actually outside the controls of the appellation meaning they have more flexibility to work creatively with the wines.
We were also taken inside the winery which is nothing short of thoroughly modern. We were told that innovation and cutting-edge technology is important but so is respect winemaking tradition of the area. Yet another example of how the estate seamlessly blends old and new.

We had our wine tour on the last day of our stay at Abadía Retuerta LeDomaine so we’d already tried the wine a few times during our stay but it was a great opportunity to try them with a little more explanation. The Abadía Retuerta Selección Especial is the most important and most well-known wine produced by the estate. In 2005, the 2001 wine actually received the award at the International Wine Challenge in London as the world’s best red wine.
As well as these tours, the vineyards offers several different unique experiences such as a horse ride and picnic or even the opportunity to harvest your own grapes!

Next I want to share with you the hotel’s very unique spa concept; Santuario LeDomaine Wellness & Spa . With a focus on luxury wine tourism, the hotel have introduced the world’s first spa sommelier and innovative vinotherapy c0ncept.

The spa is actually located in the abbey’s former stables, a cool underground sanctuary that puts you in a state of tranquility as soon as you enter the cocoon of neutral tones and wood. And despite being 10,000 square foot, the spa feels incredibly welcoming and cosy.

Just like everything at Abadía Retuerta LeDomaine, even the way they obtain their water is unique! It’s taken from the property’s own well which is 120 metres deep and once the water is purified it is of a similar quality to mineral water. The indoor heated pool is just gorgeous and there’s two separate areas for men and women with a Finnish sauna, steam bath, an experience shower and hydrotherapy pool.
I was fortune enough to visit the spa twice during my stay and on my first visit I learnt all about the Spa Sommelier concept.
A beautiful wooden mobile ‘bar’ is wheeled over to a comfortable seating area in the spa and the sommelier conducted a tasting ritual with us. Somehow drinking wine in a spa pre-11am is ok and don’t forget red wine is good for you!

After smelling a gorgeously aromatic selection of oils and a tasting of the estate’s own wines, we were asked to name the ones that we preferred after the five steps of seeing, swirling, sniffing, sipping and savouring. Based on these preferences the Spa Sommelier was able to determine the treatments and experiences that would most suit our needs. From a choice of Selección Especial, Valdebellón and LeDomaine White, I chose the latter which is blended with oils to create a massage bespoke to me!

As well as four private treatment rooms the Santuario spa also contains this utterly gorgeous spa suite, perfect for couples or those needing a little more space. It includes your own private sauna and steam room and extra healthy refreshments can be included when it’s hired out.

And talk about #bathtubgoals! This whirlpool bath was filled for us to enjoy after our massage. Luxury made-to-measure skincare brand, Anne Semonin features in many of the treatments here and her products are also found in the changing areas. Only the very best is used with Natura Bissé, Evidens de Beauté and Mama Mio Pregnancy Spa treatments being the other featured brands.

As well as the massage I had a customised facial again using Anne Semonin products. I just wanted a bit of brightening and hydration in my skin and the high quality ingredients in the products left me feeling utterly refreshed but also totally relaxed and pampered.

There are four ‘Spa Sommelier’ specials offered which use the skin and seeds of red grape which contain powerful antioxidant to encourage healthy skin as well the the more classic massage, facials and beauty treatments all offered in the comfort of this beautiful sanctuary.

A hotel experience that is informed by a unique sense of place is one of the most important elements of a stay for me and the vineyard and wine region location coupled with the history of the abbey permeate every aspect of Abadía Retuerta LeDomaine. It’s no wonder that I simply fell in love with this wonderful hotel.