Private wine tasting meals at Seville’s oldest tavern

Upstairs from Seville’s oldest drinking address, this private wine tasting turns a historic setting into a proper meal. I like that you’re eating in the restaurant above El Rinconcillo, with bare brick and beamed ceilings that make it feel like Seville, not a showroom. I also love the focus on sherry-style aging, explained in a way that helps you taste the difference instead of just nodding politely. One consideration, it’s a 2.5 hour experience built around alcohol and courses, so plan on a slower evening after.

The other thing I really like is the food and wine pairing, not just serving wine alongside dinner. You’ll taste a mix of wines, usually with Jerez-region wines plus Spanish reds and whites, and they’re matched with acorn-fed Iberian ham, fine prawns from the Huelva coastline, a meat dish, Spanish cheese, and typical desserts. The host, Roger (with A Question of Taste), brings the wines to life, and in the best moments he uses visual aids to help you compare.

Key highlights you’ll feel right away

• El Rinconcillo location: Seville’s oldest tavern vibe, with the tasting meal in the restaurant above it
• Sherry-style aging focus: you learn what makes these wines age the way they do, then taste the result
• Thoughtful pairings: Iberian ham, Huelva prawns, meat, cheese, and desserts are chosen for specific wines
• Roger’s teaching style: he explains grapes, regions, and winemaking with practical comparisons
• Private pace: only your group participates, so questions actually get answered
• Flexible swapping: you can ask to adjust dishes or even the wine lineup to match your preferences

Upstairs at El Rinconcillo: the setting that turns tasting into a meal

This experience is interesting because it’s not just a generic tasting room. You start at El Rinconcillo on C. Gerona 40 in Seville’s Casco Antiguo, and the wine tasting happens in the restaurant on the first floor above Seville’s oldest bar. That matters. When a place has been open since 1670, you feel it in the room, the pace, and the way the staff operate.

The restaurant keeps a lot of the original character, including bare brick walls and beamed ceilings. That gives you a warm, lived-in backdrop while you move through courses. Instead of standing around with a glass, you sit down and eat, with the wine discussion woven into the meal.

The tone is relaxed but not sloppy. You’re there for 2 hours 30 minutes, which is long enough to learn a few real ideas about Spanish wine and still enjoy dinner. If you’re used to quick tastings that feel rushed, this one has the structure of an actual dining experience.

What you really get in 2 hours 30 minutes

Let’s talk practical value, because the price can look like a splurge at $183.35 per person. What helps you judge it fairly is what’s included. You get:

• Lunch
• Dinner
• Coffee and/or tea
• Alcoholic beverages (this is a big part of the experience)
• A guided tasting with explanations of regions, grapes, and winemaking

Soda is not included. That’s a normal “heads-up” item, but it’s worth noting if you tend to drink non-alcoholic options with meals.

Also, it’s private. Only your group participates, which usually means a more relaxed pace than you’d get in a busy group session. If you’re traveling with friends or family, that “private” part can feel like better value than the same idea in a larger group.

There’s also a pickup option. If you want to start from your accommodation, you can request pickup, or you can meet directly at El Rinconcillo. Either way, you’re anchored to a central, walkable meeting point in the old town.

Duration is listed as about 2 hours 30 minutes. For me, the smart way to plan is to treat the whole thing like your key meal. Don’t schedule another “must-see” stop right afterward. You’ll want time to cool off, digest, and walk it off.

Sherry-style aging and the way Roger helps you taste the difference

One reason this tasting stands out is the teaching focus. During the experience, you talk about wine regions, grapes, and how wines are made. But the star of the story is the unique aging process of authentic sherry-style wines. The host connects the process to what you taste, so the explanation doesn’t float off into theory-land.

That approach is useful because Spanish wine can be a bit confusing if you only know the names. Jerez wines, sherry-style aging, and the flavor patterns that come from them are easier to understand when someone walks you through what aging is doing. Then you taste, compare, and connect the dots right at the table.

Roger is a big part of why the vibe works. Based on multiple experiences with the host, he brings wine to life and makes comparisons feel simple. In at least one case, he’s used visual aids, even showing pictures of wineries in Spain so you can picture where the wine comes from. When you’re learning, that kind of “show, then taste” rhythm is exactly what you want.

The tasting lineup is typically a mix:

• Wines from the Jerez region
• Spanish red and white wines, paired across courses

And it’s not a one-direction lecture. You can ask questions, and he talks through what you’re tasting as you move through the meal.

The food pairings: Iberian ham, Huelva prawns, meat, cheese, desserts

Wine and food matching is where this experience earns its keep. You’re not just sampling drinks. You’re eating dishes chosen for the specific wines served with them.

Here’s what’s typically paired:

• Acorn-fed Iberian ham

This is a high-bar item. The key is how salty, savory, and fatty the ham tastes, and how that changes the way you perceive wine flavor. It’s an ideal opener because it forces you to notice balance quickly.

• Fine prawns from the Huelva coastline

Seafood pairings can go wrong if the wine is too aggressive or too sweet. When it’s done right, you get a clean, bright pairing where flavors feel lifted instead of fought.

• An excellent meat dish

Meat usually deepens the tasting conversation. You get a chance to compare how different Spanish wine styles handle richness, sauce, and texture.

• Spanish cheese

Cheese is a classic “test” pairing. It can make wines taste sweeter, drier, bolder, or softer, depending on what you’re serving and how it’s aging. It’s the kind of course where your notes start to feel personal.

• Typical desserts

Ending with dessert keeps the tasting grounded in real Spanish dining. You finish with something familiar and satisfying, not a last sip that feels like work.

An important detail: the dishes are chosen as great matches for the wines, but you’re not locked in. If you’d prefer other dishes served with the wine, you can ask. The host can also vary the wines to suit your wishes.

That flexibility is useful if you have preferences based on taste, dietary choices, or just boredom with a specific ingredient. The tour data doesn’t promise specific alternatives every time, but it does clearly say you can request changes. So it’s worth telling Roger what you like or dislike early on.

How the experience flows, and what you can do during it

You’ll be seated for the tasting meal in the restaurant above El Rinconcillo. From there, the rhythm is built around courses. Each stage comes with wine and an explanation: regions, grapes, and winemaking, with special attention to the sherry-style aging part.

This is exactly the kind of structure that makes learning stick. You taste, you listen, and you taste again. Then you connect the explanation to real flavor.

A few practical tips to get the most out of it:

• Go in hungry. Since lunch and dinner are included, your best experience is when you can actually taste the food.
• Ask at least one question about what you notice. Even a simple one like how a style differs from another can turn into a quick mini-lesson.
• Tell Roger what you prefer. The experience allows adjustments to wine choices, and that helps you avoid tasting styles you dislike.

One more real-world note from an adaptation that’s happened before: if the typical restaurant is closed on a given day, the host has handled it by meeting guests at their hotel and shifting the format to tapas places in the neighborhood, with wine and ham tastings along the way. That’s not something you should assume will happen to you, but it does suggest the host thinks on their feet and wants you to still get the core Spanish food-and-wine experience.

Language, private group size, and what that means for your day

The tasting is offered in English, and it’s a private activity. That combination matters because wine learning is easier when you can ask questions in the language you think in.

Because it’s private, you avoid the common problem of being surrounded by people who want to rush through the tasting. Instead, you and your group set the pace. Multiple experiences with the host describe how smoothly it works for a small party of six, and that’s a good sign if your group isn’t just two people but not large either.

There’s also group discount language included. That likely means the pricing works best if you’re booking as a group rather than as a solo traveler. If you’re traveling with friends, it can turn a high total cost into something that feels more reasonable per person.

Price and value: why this isn’t just a tasting flight

At $183.35 per person, you’re paying for more than wine samples. You’re paying for:

• A full meal structure (lunch and dinner)
• Pairing work, so the food is chosen to support the wine
• Alcohol included throughout
• A host who explains what you taste, including sherry-style aging
• A private setting in a historic location

If you compare it to paying separately for dinner plus wine plus an actual guided tasting, this can start to look like a bundled value. You’re also getting time. Two and a half hours is enough for real education, not a quick sip and a goodbye.

One small tradeoff is that you need to be comfortable with alcohol being a central part of the event. The tour includes alcoholic beverages, and soda is not included. If you’d rather keep it light, you can still enjoy the meal, but you should expect wine to be the driver of the tasting.

Where and how to meet in Seville, and how to plan the rest

You meet at El Rinconcillo, address C. Gerona, 40, Casco Antiguo, 41003 Sevilla. The activity ends back at the meeting point. So it’s easy to build this into your old-town day.

Pickup is available if you prefer not to navigate on your own. The tour data also says it’s near public transportation, which is helpful for timing if you’re coming in from other parts of Seville.

Since lunch and dinner are included, treat this as your anchor meal. Wear comfortable shoes if you plan to walk around before or after. The old center is compact, and you’ll likely want to do a stroll through the area after tasting, while you still remember what you learned.

Should you book this private wine tasting meal?

Book it if you want a wine experience that feels like a real Seville dinner, with time to understand what you’re drinking. It’s especially strong for you if:

• You like Spanish wine but want help making sense of regions and grapes
• You’re curious about sherry-style aging and want the explanation connected to tasting
• You care about food pairings, not just drinking
• You’d enjoy a private format with an English-speaking host who uses visuals like maps and photos

Skip it or reconsider if:

• You’re not interested in alcohol-based tastings and prefer mostly non-alcoholic options (soda is not included)
• Your schedule is so tight that a 2.5 hour seated meal would crowd out other plans

If you’re on the fence, here’s my honest tie-breaker: the combination of El Rinconcillo’s historic setting plus a guided pairing meal is a rare format. You’re not just consuming wine. You’re eating your way through Spanish flavor, with a host like Roger making the comparisons practical at the table.

FAQ

Where does the wine tasting meal start?

It starts at El Rinconcillo, C. Gerona, 40, Casco Antiguo, 41003 Sevilla, Spain. The experience ends back at the same meeting point.

Is pickup available?

Yes. You can request pickup from where you are staying, or you can meet at El Rinconcillo where the wine tasting meals are held.

How long is the experience?

The duration is about 2 hours 30 minutes.

Is the tour in English?

Yes. The experience is offered in English.

What food and drinks are included?

The tour includes lunch and dinner, coffee and/or tea, and alcoholic beverages. It is a wine tasting meal with food pairings.

Is soda included?

No. Soda or pop is not included.

Is this a private experience?

Yes. It is private, and only your group participates.

Will I get confirmation after booking?

You should receive confirmation within 48 hours of booking, subject to availability.

How does cancellation work?

You can cancel for free up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund. If you cancel less than 24 hours before the start time, the amount paid is not refunded.

Are service animals allowed?

Yes. Service animals are allowed. The activity is also near public transportation and most travelers can participate.