Museum of the Vine and Wine of Navarra.

Visit the Museum of the Vine and Wine of Olite, witness of the winemaking tradition of the wine capital of Navarra.

The Vine and Wine Museum, also known as the Vine and Wine Exhibition Center, is located in the wine capital of Navarra, in Olite. This enogastronomic museum is located in the Plaza de los Teobaldos, in the center of the town, next to the Parador, the church of Santa Maria and the Royal Palace (Castle of Olite), in the palace Santo Angel of the VXII century. A very special building, from which we show the wine tradition of Navarre through the 4 floors it occupies. Its objective is none other than to show the wine culture of Navarre through all the elements that interact in the process of making Navarrese wines, from the beginning to the end, from the vineyards to the table. We all know the quality of Navarre’s rosés, but what many people ignore is the potential of Navarre’s reds and whites, a statement that we dare to make after visiting the Ochoa winery and the Museum of the Vine and Wine of Navarre, two great exponents of the region’s wine culture. The visit to the latter, enlivened with 3 pieces by the Basque composer Kepa Junkera, takes place among earth, vines, corks and bottles, while information panels, videos and interactive screens help us to know every detail of Navarrese wine. This enclave is a perfect complement to a visit to a winery, and visiting the Museum of the Vine and Wine of Navarra before visiting one of the many wineries in Olite, helps us to better understand many of the facets that will be mentioned inside the winery. Would you like to visit it with us?

The Museum of the Vine and Wine of Navarra is a must for any wine lover visiting Olite, and its collection, complete, didactic, interactive and with many resources, clarifies any doubts we may have about the wine of Navarra. This museum reminds us of another one we recently visited in Laguardia (Rioja Alavesa), the Villa Lucia Museum, a space of similar characteristics, which has its own 4D projection, amazing.

The Museum of the Vine and Wine of Navarre shares a building with the tourist office of Olite, a must-see for all those who wish to capture the essence of the historic town of Olite/Erriberri.

Location: As we have already mentioned, the museum is located in the Plaza de los Teobaldos, in the center of the town, just 100 meters from such important places as the Royal Palace (Castle) of Olite, the church of Santa Maria, the Parador (former Royal Palace) or the subway galleries, everything is close, everything is at hand. The building that houses the Museum of the Vine and Wine of Navarra is the same that houses the tourist office of Olite, museum on the right hand side and the tourist office on the left, you can’t miss it. The building, formerly the palace of Santo Angel (17th century), has much more history than we think, and after serving as a palace, the building was converted into a school and later (on November 27, 2002) into a museum.

Attention: As in the rest of the places we visited during our stay in Olite, the attention we received at the Museum of the Vine and Wine of Navarra was exemplary. Although it is not a guided tour, before entering the museum itself, the person in charge gave us a short talk about what we would find and the order in which we should go through the 4 floors. With special emphasis on the small tasting that takes place before leaving the museum. Very important: The girls at the museum may be busy when you finish the visit, so do not leave the museum without tasting the wine, patience.

Olite: The medieval complex of Olite is one of the best preserved in Europe. A quiet, rural and charming urban center in which we find spaces of great interest. A unique enclave.

Visit: The Museum of the Vine and Wine of Navarra is divided into 4 floors, the first floor (where we enter the building), two upper floors (1 and 2 floor) and a basement where we find what is undoubtedly one of the most interesting rooms of the museum. All of them are connected by an interior atrium that shares the dim light and ambient music that runs through all the rooms of the museum. Each of the floors focuses on a specific aspect of wine, the first floor reviews the history of wine, the second floor focuses on production, in the vineyards, the second floor shows us the details of the winemaking process, and finally, in the basement, we find a room (former cellar of the palace) where we will put into practice everything that tells us the theory presented on the panels. With this small summary, we want to show you (in a generalized way) what this Navarre museum keeps inside. However, if you want to know every detail of the Museum of the Vine and Wine of Navarra, do not miss the complete summary below:

First floor: The visit begins with some simple indications from the person in charge of the museum, a small outline of what we are going to find and what route we should take. Once instructed about the visit, we walk along a small corridor (without visualizing what we have on both sides) to reach a room where we contemplate the historical evolution of wine in the world. A space to understand where wine comes from and where it is going, an exhibition that uses pieces from different cultures and religions (Egypt, Greece, Rome, Middle Ages…) to demonstrate it. We go back, back to the corridor, this time, paying attention to everything around us. On the right hand side we find dozens of bottles belonging to the Designation of Origin Navarra, a nice sample of the wine potential of this land, while on the left hand side we visualize several information panels with the history of wine in Navarra and its different milestones over time.

At this point is where we remembered our visit to the Hilarriak museum in Abaurrea Alta, in the Navarrese Pyrenees, where we had the opportunity to learn a lot of things we did not know about the funerary stelae. At the beginning of the visit we were shown a replica of a Roman funerary stele from more than 2,000 years ago in which there were already references to grapes and wine, a reproduction that, like those of the Navarrese Pyrenees, showed the passions and tastes of its owners.

Second floor: We go up the stairs to access the second floor. As we enter, a vine welcomes us. A kind of sculpture, in which each of the parts that make up this climbing shrub technically known as Vitis vinifera can be appreciated. Throughout this plant, reference is made to all the necessary conditions for its care, starting with the type of soil, the climate, the tools or utensils for its care. All this is explained through videos, interactive tablets, models, objects and information panels. In addition, we have complete technical data sheets of the 11 grape varieties that were traditionally produced in Navarra, their characteristics and peculiarities.

Second floor: We go upstairs, we follow the wine process. We focus on the elaboration. From grape to wine. In this section are very present the gadgets used at all times, presses, fermentation vats, construction of barrels … all located in spaces with controlled temperatures, lights and odors, basic concepts in any winemaking process. Thus, taking tradition and modernity as a basis, they show us the evolution of the machines used throughout history. We must make special emphasis on the interactive screens that we find on this floor, and is that in addition to all the information we find scattered throughout the Museum of the Vine and Wine of Navarra, we also have the possibility of consulting it through these fun screens.

Basement: The basement of the palace, a former wine cellar, houses one of the most interesting spaces, the room where everything we have seen so far is put into practice. The so-called “wine and senses room” tests our perceptions through different tests. Vision, taste and smell are the main protagonists of this space, which helps us to understand the stages of the tastings and the different techniques used in each of them. In the center of the room we find all kinds of utensils used during the tastings, glasses, corkscrews, decanters … time to take note.

During the tour, during the visit, the txalaparta and other instruments heard in each of Kepa Junkera’s pieces, remind us of the history and tradition of this way of life.

On our way back to the museum’s reception, a drink awaits us. It is a very special tasting in which we taste a very curious red wine made in Olite. Attention!

Price: The general admission (adults and over 5 years old) has a price of 3,5€. A rate to which we must add an additional discount of 1 € for all those who have visited the Royal Palace (in case of visiting before the Museum of Vine and Wine of Navarra, the discount will be applicable to the visit of the Royal Palace). There are special discounts for groups (it is mandatory to arrange the visit 48 hours in advance) and groups, we recommend contacting guiartenavarra, company responsible for the management of most of the heritage of Olite to clarify all kinds of doubts about it. In our opinion the price of the visit is more than correct, even more, if we take into account that in addition to enjoying a very complete visit around the wine of Navarra, at the end of the visit we have the opportunity to taste a very very special wine, prepare your senses!

Special tasting: At the end of the visit, next to the counter, there is a small tasting of an unusual wine, the tasting of a red wine produced at the Estación de Viticultura y Enología de Navarra (Evena). This organization carries out research and experimentation work in collaboration with the wineries and producers of Navarra, an entity that helps in the professionalization of the sector and the continuous improvement of its products. The wine that is tasted during the visit is not commercialized and can hardly be tasted outside the Museum of the Vine and Wine of Navarra, a fact that makes the visit to this complex in Olite even more special. A drink that leaves a good taste in our mouth to end our visit. And all this for 3,5€ (2,5€ if you have previously visited the Royal Palace), a very competitive price.

Our experience at the Museo de la Viña y el Vino de Navarra helped us to complete our knowledge about wine in general and to understand the history of Navarre wines. A very complete museum, in which technology and objects of all life help, and a lot, in achieving its objectives. Gora Navarrese wine and gora Olite!