Private wine tasting meals at Seville’s oldest tavern

Seville’s oldest bar, El Rinconcillo, opened in 1670. Upstairs, its restaurant provides the setting for a private Spanish wine tasting meal led by Roger, a host who has lived in Spain for 30 years. You’ll taste wines from Jerez alongside Spanish reds and whites, with each glass matched to a dish.

I like two things right away: the setting has real character, with bare brick walls and beamed ceilings, and the meal gives the tasting substance. This is not a few sips and a breadstick. You may be served acorn-fed Iberian ham, Huelva prawns, meat, Spanish cheese, dessert, coffee, and tea.

The main consideration is the price, $183.35 per person. That is a serious spend for two and a half hours, so this suits you best if you want a private, guided food-and-wine evening rather than a quick tasting at a bar.

Key points to know before booking

• El Rinconcillo dates to 1670: The tasting takes place in the restaurant above Seville’s oldest bar, surrounded by original-style brickwork and timber ceilings.
• Roger leads the experience: He explains Spanish wine, grapes, regions, sherry production, and food matching in an informal, visual way.
• Jerez gets special attention: You’ll compare wines from the Jerez area with Spanish red and white wines, including discussion of the unusual ageing process behind authentic sherry-style wines.
• The food is part of the lesson: Iberian ham, Huelva prawns, meat, cheese, and typical desserts are selected to work with the wines.
• It is private: Only your group participates, with group discounts available and a maximum size that can be discussed for larger parties.
• Pickup may be arranged: You can meet at El Rinconcillo or request collection from where you are staying.

Entering El Rinconcillo, Seville’s 1670 tavern

The evening begins at El Rinconcillo, at Calle Gerona 40 in Seville’s Casco Antiguo. The bar below is the oldest in Seville, having opened in 1670, and the wine meal takes place in the restaurant on the first floor above it.

That setting matters. You are not being placed in a generic tasting room with rows of bottles and printed tasting sheets. The restaurant keeps as much of its old character as possible, including bare brick walls and beamed ceilings. The atmosphere gives the evening a strong sense of place before the first glass is poured.

You can make your own way to the meeting point, or ask about pickup from your accommodation. Since the activity ends back at the meeting point, it is easy to think of it as a contained evening in the old town. Confirm the pickup arrangement when booking, because collection is offered rather than automatically included for every booking.

If you arrive early, El Rinconcillo itself is worth seeing as part of the experience. The tasting is more than a visit to a famous old bar, but the bar’s age helps explain why this location works so well for an evening about Spanish food and drink.

The first glasses: Spanish regions and grapes

Roger does not simply put wine in front of you and ask which bottle you prefer. He explains the regions involved, the grapes used, and how the wines are made. That gives you a way to understand what is in your glass instead of relying only on personal taste.

The tasting normally combines wines from Jerez with Spanish red and white wines. This is a useful mix because it lets you compare very different styles in one sitting. Jerez is best known for sherry-style wines, while the red and white selections broaden the picture of Spanish wine beyond one region.

You can expect the conversation to cover the differences between Spanish wine and wines from other places. Roger may use maps and photographs of wineries to make the regions easier to picture. That is especially helpful if Spanish wine is new to you, since the names of the regions and grapes can otherwise blur together after the second glass.

The format is private, so the pace can respond to your group. A couple who already knows a fair bit about wine may want to focus on production and ageing. A group of friends may prefer a lighter conversation about food, culture, and how to order Spanish wine at home. The supplied details say the wines can be varied to suit your wishes, so tell Roger your preferences rather than assuming the menu is fixed.

Why Jerez and sherry-style ageing matter

The most distinctive teaching here is the focus on the ageing process used for authentic sherry-style wines. Jerez is not just another label on a map. Its wines are shaped by methods that give the region a character quite different from a standard red or white tasting.

You will hear about how the wines are made and aged, with particular attention to that process. For someone who has only tasted sweet, basic sherry, this can correct a common misunderstanding. The Jerez category includes more than one style, and the tasting gives you a chance to compare and discuss those differences at the table.

I like this part because it connects the glass to a place and a method. You are not asked to memorize technical terms for their own sake. The explanation is tied to what you are drinking, what you are eating, and why one wine works better with a particular course.

This is also where the host’s background helps. Roger has lived in Spain for three decades and brings cultural context to the food and wine. His explanations include Spanish lifestyle and local customs, not just grape names. If you want a purely formal sommelier lesson, this may feel relaxed. If you want to understand how Spanish wine fits into daily life, that relaxed approach is a strength.

Iberian ham and Huelva prawns at the table

The food is not a side dish. It is a major reason to consider this experience.

The tasting normally includes acorn-fed Iberian ham, fine prawns from the Huelva coastline, an excellent meat dish, Spanish cheese, and typical desserts. Coffee and tea are also included. Soft drinks are not included, so keep that in mind if someone in your party does not drink alcohol.

Acorn-fed Iberian ham gives you a chance to taste one of Spain’s most prized food products in the correct setting. Roger also discusses the farming process behind Iberian ham, which adds useful context to what can otherwise seem like an expensive plate of sliced meat. The point is not just that the ham tastes good. It is that the food’s origin, production, and texture help explain why it is served with particular wines.

The prawns come from Huelva, in southwestern Andalusia. Their inclusion brings a coastal element to a meal otherwise shaped by cured meat, cheese, and meat dishes. A white wine or another lighter style may show a different side of the tasting when served with seafood.

The meat dish and cheese give the red wines more room to work. The dessert then changes the tone again, allowing the tasting to finish with a sweeter or more traditional Spanish note. The exact dishes are chosen as matches for the wines, and you can ask for alternatives if you would prefer other foods.

That flexibility matters for a private meal. If one member of your group dislikes prawns or has a food preference, speak up before or during the experience. The information provided says the dishes can be varied, but you should not assume every substitution is possible without asking.

A meal that teaches you how pairing works

Many wine tastings leave you with a few impressions and no clear idea how to use them later. This experience takes a more practical route by putting wine and food together throughout the meal.

A wine that seems sharp or plain on its own can change when served with ham, prawns, meat, or cheese. Roger talks you through those matches, so you can notice how salt, richness, texture, and sweetness affect the drink. You do not need advanced wine vocabulary. You only need to pay attention to how the combination changes in your mouth.

I especially like that the meal avoids treating food as decoration. The dishes are selected to suit the wines, and the order of the evening is built around that relationship. It makes the tasting more useful for your future meals in Seville or at home.

You should still keep expectations sensible. This is a guided tasting dinner, not a full survey of every Spanish wine region or a cooking class. The focus is on selected wines, Jerez, Spanish grapes, and food matching. That concentrated approach makes the evening easier to follow, but it also means you should choose another activity if your main goal is visiting vineyards outside the city.

Roger’s hosting style and the private format

Roger is the named host, and his style appears to combine wine instruction with conversation about Spanish culture. He explains the wines clearly, uses maps and winery images when useful, and can draw from his long experience living in Spain.

The private format is important. Only your group participates, so you will not be placed with strangers or pushed into a fixed public tasting. A private group of two can ask direct questions, while a group of six can enjoy a social dinner without having to match the pace of another party.

One useful detail is that the format can change if the usual restaurant setting is unavailable. On one occasion, Roger met a group at its hotel and took them to four tapas places in the neighborhood for wine, Iberian ham, and tapas. That is not the standard promise of the booked experience, but it shows that an alternative local food route may be possible if El Rinconcillo cannot host the tasting on a particular day.

Do not book expecting four tapas stops as part of the normal itinerary. The regular plan is a wine tasting meal at El Rinconcillo. Still, if circumstances require a change, ask what replacement arrangement will be offered.

Is $183.35 per person good value?

At $183.35 per person, this is not a budget dinner. You are paying for a private host, a guided tasting, a full meal, alcoholic drinks, coffee or tea, and a historic Seville setting. The value is strongest for people who would otherwise book a good dinner and a separate wine lesson.

The price is harder to justify if you mainly want a drink at an old bar. El Rinconcillo can be visited without committing to a two-and-a-half-hour private tasting meal, so you should choose this only if the education and personal attention matter to you.

Group discounts may improve the calculation for larger parties. The experience works particularly well for a celebration, a small group of friends, or a couple who wants one carefully planned food evening in Seville. Since pickup may be available, that can also save you the trouble of finding the location after a long day, though the exact arrangement should be confirmed.

Lunch and dinner are listed as included, which signals that this is designed as a substantial meal rather than a short afternoon sample. The stated duration is approximately two hours and 30 minutes. Give yourself the full evening around it, especially if your group likes to ask questions.

Who should book this Seville wine evening?

I would recommend it to you if you enjoy learning through food. It suits curious drinkers who want to understand Jerez, Spanish grapes, ageing, and regional differences without sitting through a stiff lecture.

It is also a good fit if you want a private occasion. Couples, families of adults, and small friend groups can set the tone themselves. The meal has enough variety to keep non-specialist wine drinkers interested, while the production details give more serious wine fans something to discuss.

You may want to skip it if you do not drink alcohol, since alcoholic beverages are central to the activity and soft drinks are not included. It may also be a poor match if your priority is a winery visit in the countryside, a broad tour of Andalusian vineyards, or a low-cost tapas crawl.

Most travelers can participate, and service animals are allowed. The meeting point is near public transportation. Confirmation is sent within 48 hours of booking, subject to availability, so do not leave this until the last minute if your schedule is tight.

Should you book A Question of Taste?

Book it if you want a serious meal with a personal wine lesson, not just a tasting flight. El Rinconcillo’s 1670 setting gives the evening a strong Seville identity, while Roger’s focus on Jerez, Spanish grapes, and food matching gives it a clear purpose.

The price is high, but the inclusions are substantial: food, wine, coffee or tea, private hosting, and about two and a half hours at the table. I would choose it for a special evening or for a group that wants one shared experience with plenty to talk about afterward.

If the cost makes you hesitate, compare it with the price of a quality dinner plus a separate private tasting. If you would value both, this can make sense. If you only want a casual glass of sherry in an old tavern, spend less and visit El Rinconcillo on its own.

FAQ

Where does the wine tasting meal take place?

It takes place in the restaurant on the first floor above El Rinconcillo, at Calle Gerona 40 in Seville’s Casco Antiguo. El Rinconcillo’s bar opened in 1670.

How long does the experience last?

The wine tasting meal lasts approximately two hours and 30 minutes.

What wines will be served?

The tasting normally includes wines from the Jerez region along with Spanish red and white wines. The discussion covers wine regions, grape varieties, production methods, and the ageing process used for authentic sherry-style wines.

What food is included?

The meal includes acorn-fed Iberian ham, prawns from the Huelva coastline, a meat dish, Spanish cheese, typical desserts, and coffee or tea. The dishes are selected to match the wines.

Can the food or wine be changed?

The dishes and wines can be varied to suit your wishes. Ask if you would prefer different foods with the wine or want alternative wine selections.

Is hotel pickup available?

Pickup can be arranged from where you are staying, or you can meet the host at El Rinconcillo. The activity ends back at the meeting point.

Is the booking private, and what happens if I need to cancel?

Only your group participates, and group discounts are available. You can cancel at least 24 hours before the local start time for a full refund. Cancellations or changes made less than 24 hours before the start time are not accepted for a refund.