And so, we traveled to the fragrant vineyards of Rioja to peer behind the label of one of Spain’s most famous wines, and to meet Yarra – our local guide, whose entire life has been spent among the grapes and the wineries. It’s a culture that she knows like nobody else.

Naturally, we wanted to see for ourselves what really goes into a bottle. Could one field of grapes, and the people who tend them, tell us an intimate story about the culture of the Iberian peninsula? Yarra walked us through the lustrous Seven Valleys which are home to the native Tempranillo grape – the fruit that, she explained, is pressed and fermented right at the source, before ending up on those laden supermarket shelves the world over; in the bottles we clutch on our way to parties, and uncork on chilly winter nights.

It’s easy to forget that this heady red juice comes from real soil, and is picked by real human hands. As Yarra explained, the region’s wineries – and the people who work and run them – are closely connected, bringing different personalities and people together in a shared love for this world-famous bottle. Every three years, the wineries come together in a celebration of their shared passion, and their community cooperation bubbles to the surface. While the eventual bottles may be faceless, the people behind them are truly part of a living, passionate, and dedicated society. To spend time with Yarra, we got to taste just a sample of this life.

Here’s to many more.