The Spirituality of Wine: Spain and Portugal
Spain and Portugal | May 21 - June 3, 2027
Join us for an enriching journey through Spain and Portugal with Concordia Professor of Religion Emeritus, Roy Hammerling and Justin Blanford, Certified Sommelier and professional consultant for Southern Glazers Wine & Spirits. Together, we’ll explore vibrant cities, historic cathedrals, sacred pilgrimage sites, and renowned wine regions while discovering the rich connections between faith, culture, history, and hospitality. From Madrid, Segovia, and Ávila to Porto, the Douro Valley, Fátima, and Lisbon, our travels will feature guided sightseeing, meaningful conversations, exceptional local cuisine, and tastings at some of the Iberian Peninsula’s most celebrated wineries—creating unforgettable memories and new friendships along the way.
Faculty Leaders
Roy Hammerling
Dr. Roy Hammerling, a PhD graduate of the University of Notre Dame in Church History, is Professor of Religion Emeritus at Concordia College. His books include A History of Prayer: The First to the Fifteenth Century, The Lord’s Prayer in the Early Church: The Pearl of Great Price, and Speaking of Religion. He has written articles and lectured on Martin Luther and Lutheranism, Christian Spirituality (especially Greek Orthodox Christianity), the history of wine, religion and film, the church in Nazi Germany, Islam, religion in modern culture, and more. He has traveled extensively with students and alumni groups for Concordia College across Europe, Turkey, and Egypt. He is also an ELCA pastor and the son of German-Russian immigrants. He's very excited to be working with his son, Josh Hammerling, a wine expert, on another wine tour abroad.
Justin Blanford
Justin Blanford is a Certified Sommelier and professional consultant for Southern Glazers Wine & Spirits. A lifelong student of the food & beverage industry, he got his start at the age of 13 in his family's restaurant. His passion for the service industry flourished throughout college, and after graduating from BSU with a degree in Business Management, he continued his journey as a Senior Manager with the Roca Restaurant Group as part of the Doolittles Woodfire Grill and Porter Creek teams. He then married his wife Chaka (Shock-Ah), an accomplished Art Graduate with a career in Computer Administration, in 2013. They welcomed their son Isaiah in 2015 and twins Barry and Islay (Eye-Lah) in 2019. His interests eventually led him to manage a retail liquor store specializing in fine wine and spirits. During these years Justin took a particular interest in wine education and passed his Sommelier Certification test. For six years he operated as a local educator teaching over a hundred private and public classes. His speaking engagements have notably included lecturing at NDSU’s wine program, The North Dakota Wine Growers Association, local television and radio segments, and a wide array of local charity events as a volunteer. In 2023 he took a position with Southern Glazers and now acts as an educator and consultant for a wide array of restaurants and liquor stores throughout the state of Minnesota.