This past Saturday, I had the privilege of taking part in a truly special moment: a wine tasting at the Monastery of Nuestra Señora de la Piedad in Casalarreina, as part of the La Rioja Festival program curated by guitarist Pablo Sainz Villegas. Music, heritage, and wine —three languages that speak straight to the soul— came together in a space that both awes and welcomes in equal measure.
A setting steeped in centuries of history
Presenting my wines in a 16th-century monastery isn’t something that happens every day. The Monastery of Nuestra Señora de la Piedad, built between 1514 and 1524 by order of Juan Fernández de Velasco, Bishop of Calahorra and Palencia, is a gem of late Gothic and Spanish Plateresque Renaissance architecture.
This monastery is unique in Spain, as it was inaugurated by a pope: Adrian VI, who stayed overnight in Casalarreina on his way to Rome to assume the papacy in 1522.
The building has stood witness to history, surviving the Napoleonic invasion and the Mendizábal confiscation. Declared a Site of Cultural Interest in 1977, its spaces —including the church, sacristy, choir, and cloister— have been carefully restored and opened to the public, offering an environment where spirituality and art come together.
La Rioja Festival: where art meets tradition
La Rioja Festival, under the artistic direction of Pablo Sainz Villegas, is a celebration that brings together music, heritage, and wine. The festival aims to promote the cultural richness of La Rioja by offering concerts, tastings, and culinary experiences in some of the region’s most iconic locations.
Pablo, born in La Rioja and internationally acclaimed for his mastery of the guitar, has channeled his love for music and his homeland into creating a festival that has already become a cultural landmark.
More than just a wine tasting
Each glass poured, each story shared, resonated differently in that centuries-old setting. Perhaps it was the acoustics of the stone walls or the stillness of the space, but something about it transformed the tasting into something more intimate, more authentic.
We spoke about how wine is born from the earth —without disguises— and how organic viticulture is not a trend, but a way of being in the world. But above all, we shared. Because a tasting isn’t a lesson, it’s an encounter. And in this case, it was an encounter with people who didn’t just listen — they felt the wine the way one feels a beautiful melody: letting it pass right through them.
Reflections and heartfelt thanks
Thank you to Pablo Sainz Villegas for creating this space where music and wine can meet so naturally. And thank you to everyone who joined us — glass in hand, heart open. Experiences like this remind me why I do what I do: not just to make wine, but to connect. To tell stories of the land, of craftsmanship, of time. We keep going — with our hands in the vineyard and our feet firmly rooted in what matters.
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