TOKYO, Oct. 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Minister of Food, Rural Development, Agriculture and Fisheries of the Basque Government, Amaia Barredo, leads a trade mission made up of representatives of 22 Basque wineries of white and red wines from Rioja Alavesa, Txakoli and Cider Euskal Sagardoa that these days are presenting their high-quality oenological products in Japan.
22 wineries from Rioja Alavesa, Txakoli and Cider from the Basque Country are presenting their high-quality products in Japan
After a first business meeting held this morning by the Wineries, in the afternoon, Minister Amaia Barredo, accompanied by Vice-Minister Raúl Pérez Iratxeta, commented on the "growing interest that various booming international markets – the United States of America, Japan, Mexico, Switzerland and the United Kingdom – show for the wines of Rioja Alavesa and for its Txakolis, which has motivated the visit of these wineries to Tokyo and Osaka".
The Basque delegation also presented the international initiative "EDA -Drinks and Wines Campus" whose two headquarters, designed by the architect Carvalho Araújo, are currently being built, in collaboration with the Basque Government and the Basque Culinary Centre, in the Basque capital Vitoria-Gasteiz and, among vineyards, in the nearby town of Laguardia, in the south of the Basque Country.
After the presentation, Mikel Garaizabal - an oenological popularizer who has given more than 4,500 tastings, courses and lectures around the world and author of several books, two of them Gourmand Prize winners in 2003 and 2013- led a tasting of Rioja Alavesa wines and Txakolis recognized with scores of more than 97 Parker and Tim Atkin points.
The Rioja Alavesa wineries that have attended the mission organised by the Basque Government are: Ostatu, Bodegas Loli Casado, Bodegas Alútiz, Bodegas Muro, Bodegas La Marquesa – Valserrano, Bodegas Laukote, Muriel Wines, Bodegas Remírez de Ganuza, Bodegas Valdelana and Bodegas Baigorri.
The Txakoli wineries are Hiruzta, Talai Berri, Rezabal, Gorka Izagirre, Bodegas K5, Ameztoi, and Gaintza. Finally, the Euskal Sagardoa ciders are Isastegi, Bereziartua, Petritegi and Zapiain.
Tomorrow Tuesday, in Osaka, the Basque delegation will participate in the Basque Japan SAREA event, which is taking place at Festak Yomachibori. Together with 35 professionals, specialist press, and several chefs such as Yoshitsugu Yamamoto and Ryusuke Nakano, the Japan-Euskadi connection will be explained in detail and a "pairing" lunch of Basque-Japanese products with Rioja Alavesa wines, Txakoli and Euskal Sagardoa Cider will be offered.
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A trade mission made up in Japan of representatives of 22 Basque wineries of white and red wines from Rioja Alavesa, Txakoli and Cider Euskal Sagardoa