Basque Country wine journey

Wine is good for you. No really. In moderation it is. And it is an art, a social experience within itself. So of course when my lovely friend and fellow physician asked if I could join her on a basque wine tour I said por que no?

The basque people: if you call them Spanish they will not be happy. The are Basque. Similar to Catalan, this region has been acquired and kind of exploited over the centuries, so the resentment post Franco is still there.

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They have their own language, entirely different and older than Latin. They are farmers and shepherds, have their own unique cuisine and processes to make wine. But, they also want you to love the region, and it is hard not to.

Anna and I planned a day of wine and pintxos (pronounced pincho) which are bite sized elaborate nibbles to be consumed like a traveling party. Pintxo in one place, wine…move to the neighbor, do it again until naptime calls. Every weekend and some week days. It is a social tango of sorts, a beautiful dance really.

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I hired a wonderful guide named patrizia to show us how to do it. 5 stops, 3 hours, all of the places with a story. I am listing below:

1-. EL GLOBO: Spider crab pintxo + txakoli (brand: Itsasmendi), txakoli is the local super citrusy white wine. Spider crab is the local crab and it’s everywhere.

2-. LA VIÑA DEL ENSANCHE: Foie terrine and Carrilleras (pork cheek) + Basque Rioja wine (brand: Viña Alberdi 2018). This place has their own Iberian pigs they raise and used to be the only place to get it.

3-. PROMENADE: Spicy gildas. gildas is anchovy, local pepper, and an olive in olive oil with salt (so delightful I bought a tote bag with Gildas on them.

4-. IRUÑA: Champagne (agua de bilbao :P) + lamb skewer with Moroccan spices. This place is a work of art, architecture makes you feel like you are in another era.

5-. SORGINZULO: Basque traditional cider + calamari. The cider is unfiltered and needs aeration to give its classic flavor. This involves a bit of fancy hand work and decent hand and eye coordination as pictured below. It is tart and super refreshing and should not be missed.

No description will honor the experience really, but book your trip with her. She is a retired family lawyer that just wants to meet people and share her love of the region. It is unique and kind of precious.

The TOUR. book it here

I went out shopping afterward… Bought a wardrobe in my wine haze. Hey, it happens. But there’s a huge Zara and lots Of boutique shops.

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Other highlights! The Puppy, or locals call it the Poopy…a 40 foot puppy made of flowers in front of the immense Guggenheim museum. Visit Sr, poopy, walk the river, absorb the architectural beauty of a steel city reimagined as an arts and culture center. It is pretty startling how in 40 years, Bilbao went from a failing steel town like Pittsburgh in the 1980s to what it’s like today.

Guggenheim: what is this all about? It is a wonderful cross between science and art, automotive and abstract. go. Really it’s hard to describe.

Hotel: Melia Bilbao, best breakfast in a while, comfy room, nice restaurants and centrally located near the river, museums, and a huge mall.

Transport: there is an easy to use trolley around major attractions and getting a taxi or ride share is also readily available. Walking in my opinion is the way to go because the city is so diverse and traffic is heavy.