MOONINSPAIN

A place where a natural aptitude for business and extreme appreciation for food and wine go above and beyond. Enter with caution, as it may change your life!

When we travel in our hippy van we do not have any plans. We know which country, and a general ballpark of the area we want to explore. Be it France, Italy, Portugal, Spain, Morocco or wherever we land. We just roam.

My work life is based on logistics and an extreme level of organization. When I am free of that, I do not want any restrictions or reservations.

One day I may begin a travel company named, “Fuck the Itinerary” (please don’t steal this name). But in the meantime, it will be my personal travel mantra.

Taking random roads has led us to unbelievable places. Hidden cheese farms, wild animals roaming in meadows, and camps guarded by Gypsy grandmothers.

However, one of my favorite winding roads leads to an exceptional spot that I call a second home. Bodega Berroja, a boutique Txakoli winery. The first time I visited Berroja twelve years ago, and met the owner, José Ángel, I was overwhelmed with a desire to follow my own dreams.

José Ángel taught me everything I know about this wine that is unique to the Basque Country. Txakoli is not just a wine, but a part of their cultural heritage. It has been produced since the 9th century in this nation that clings to mountains and sea.

Txakoli was originally made by and for the families, a yearly production to be enjoyed with the local food. It was produced in Baserris, or Basque farmsteads.

Through many long conversations with José Ángel, I learned that near the end of the 19th century, a type of bar called Chacolines sprung up. The local people would meet in these taverns to enjoy the Txakoli wine, paired with traditional fish based dishes.

Not unlike other winemaking regions in Europe, the production of Txakoli was disrupted in the 20th century due to different plagues and the global distribution of international wines.

Thanks to Basque chefs like Juan Mari Arzak and Pedro Subijana, and their nouvelle cuisine movement in the late 1970’s, Basque food and wine became internationally recognized, and have been at high-speed forward ever since.

Bodega Berroja is located in the Urdaibai biosphere, not too far from Bilbao, a microclimate close to the coast that provides a perfect terroir for the Txakoli wine. You have views of both the Bay of Biscay and the surrounding countryside — the vines grow on the sloping hills, and these difficult growing conditions produce a highly acidic wine.

Two of the grapes used for Txakoli, Hondarrabi Zuri and Hondarrabi Beltza, are indigenous to the Basque Country and Navarre.

At Berroja, they produce at least four or five different wines each harvest. Some reflect the original farmstead production that is centuries old, using only the Hondarrabi Zuri variety. Others are a more complex blend of different grapes such as Riesling, Hondarrabi Zuri Zerratia, and Munemahatsa. Each wine serves its purpose in life.

Each wine here is produced with meticulous care and appreciation of the final outcome.

Txakoli should be served cold, always a short pour to allow the correct temperature to be maintained. It pairs perfectly with seafood and any nice cheese, particularly the local Idiazabal, made from the raw milk of the Latxa or Carrazana sheep. It also pairs well with the heavy dishes in this area prepared with ingredients like the local pinto beans from the city of Tolosa.

José Ángel always has the Idiazabal cheese made on the farm next door to his winery. Please trust me on this one: go to a specialty shop and find a nice Txakoli wine and an intense Idiazabal cheese, and see how it feels on your palate.

Because of the high acidity, Txakoli cleanses your palate and invites you to indulge in more, while enjoying the next pintxo that attracts your attention! If you really want to enjoy the perfect pairing with a cold glass of Txakoli, you could prepare bacalao al pil pil to accompany. Salt cod with garlic and chili peppers. It is the ideal combination.

How did Bodega Berroja come to be?

Basque people are known to be honest and to enjoy betting. Traditionally they will bet over games of “pelota”, also known as Jai Alai.

But, many times they bet just for fun.

José Ángel is an engineer who works in the city hall of Bilbao. One afternoon, out with friends enjoying a txikiteo*, he mentioned that he wanted to make wine. His friends laughed and laughed until he finally made a bet.

“I will produce wine,” he affirmed.

And so, Bodega Berroja was born. An offspring that was formed from a keen knowledge of business mixed with passion and love.

Besides learning about Txakoli wine production, I feel extremely privileged to have shared countless meals with José Ángel in his kitchen.

Some days he will have a dish prepared for us, like his “papas a la riojana”, a humble plate made from potatoes, chorizo, choricero peppers, and paprika. He makes the best papas that I have tasted to date.

Other days, he will ask me to buy tomatoes from the market in Gernika, and then give them a highly critical glance when I set them on the table. Everything has to be top quality.

Bread is an even more complicated matter with José Ángel. I would not even attempt to bring a loaf to his house. It would never meet his standards. José Angel can make a simple meal of olive oil, tuna, salad, and bread into a gastronomical experience. His knowledge and appreciation of fine ingredients is something I have always admired in him.

Over crisp glasses of Txakoli, and only the highest quality of food, we will share conversations about politics, Basque history, traditional recipes, and how to keep relationships alive.

Another ongoing topic of conversation was what I should do with my professional future.

From that first day when we met twelve years ago, until now, José Ángel has tried to convince me to use my natural talent for people to open my own business. Something about me intrigues him, and he sees a potential that I had not been aware of before meeting him. Or better said, I did not have the confidence to admit it I had this gift.

José Ángel’s charisma and intelligence provide for many satisfying conversations. It is a relationship that has made me grow as a person and to convinced me to move forward with my future projects.

Cowboy coffee always follows the meal. The beauty of Berroja and José Ángel is that you are sitting in this gorgeous and modern setting, yet you feel like you are on a rustic farm.

We should always try to follow the winding road in life. It may seem tedious at the moment, but the gifts those extra curves might give to you could be life-changing.

This winding road to Berroja changed my life and how I looked at myself as a professional. After meeting José Ángel, I began to run customized private tours, and organize educational trips for university students and professors.

More than one group has been lucky enough to meet José Ángel, and taste his fantastic Txakoli, made with love. His passion and devotion towards life, food, and wine touches each person who visits. Many times I have seen tears in his eyes as he verbally shares this fervor with others.

*Txikiteo: going from bar to bar drinking txikitos (small wines), or zuritos(small beers), accompanied by pintxos . Pintxos are small delicacies of local food traditionally served on pieces of bread with a toothpick to hold it tight.