Have a great time tasting Campo Viejo’s red wine in La Rioja and exploring the rugged terrain of northern Spain

THERE are many dream jobs – rock star, astronaut, racing car driver – but sampling wine every day in the rugged terrain of northern Spain might just top them all.

That is one of the daily tasks for Elena Adell, chief winemaker at Campo Viejo, Rioja’s largest producer of the red nectar.

With her multi-coloured hair, canary-yellow coat and designer sunglasses, Elena is the Anna Wintour of wine — minus that cold reputation.

Having worked for Campo for 30 years, she has an encyclopaedic knowledge of its produce, talking passionately and at such speed during our tour that her translator and winemaking deputy, Clara Canals, struggles to keep up.

Their winery tours are available all year round and there is never a wrong time to visit.

In summer, the vineyard is a sea of green then, as the grapes ripen before harvest, it turns into a kaleidoscope of autumnal reds, yellows and oranges.

Modern-art fans will lap up works by Andy Warhol, Richard Serra and Louise Bourgeois.

But my favourite was Jeff Koons’ Puppy — a 40ft sculpture made from flowers that stands guard outside.

You could spend all day wandering around its galleries, but three tram stops away, Bilbao’s old quarter is calling.

Devastated by floods in 1983, the district has re-emerged to become one of the city’s leading tourist areas.

At its heart is the atmospheric Las Siete Calles (Seven Streets) that date back to the 1400s and teem with cafes, pinchos bars and boutiques.

But if you are feeling peckish, pay a visit to La Ribera, a 1929 market hall with 60 food stalls offering local fare.

My room for the night is in the contemporary Miro Hotel, which boasts suites overlooking the Guggenheim.

Its standard rooms are stylish with pops of colour, dark marble bathrooms and Molton Brown toiletries — though sadly no bath.

In the art gallery-style lobby, guests can lounge on leather sofas, play board games or pour themselves a drink at its “honesty bar”.

Campo’s friendly public relations manager, Anabel Gomez, joins us for dinner at La Despensa del Etxanobe, a five-minute stroll from the hotel.

The restaurant, run by Michelin-star chef Fernando Canales, offers both traditional and creative Basque cuisine in a modern and romantic setting.

We tuck into ham croquettes, squid, pork belly and its Josefina chocolate moelleux, sweetly named after Fernando’s grandma.

With a happy heart and full belly, the trip has been what dreams are made of.

Speaking of which, I must pass on my phone number to Elena — just in case she ever needs an apprentice.