Excursion S.a.l.t. basque cuisine & wine tour at Bilbao

Travel along the roads of Biscay to discover the local gastronomy and way of life of the Basque country.

Txacoli Cellar Gorga Izaguirre

Leave the pier by motorcoach for the approximately 45 minute drive to the Txacoli Cellar Gorga Izaguirre, where the owner will welcome you and showcase his cellar. Taste different varieties of txakoli wine in a very authentic way: going directly to the vat and getting the wine from the pipe. The wines tasted will be paired with Basque pintxos.

Garena Restaurant

Continue with a scenic approximately one-hour drive to restaurant Garena, where you will meet the owner and chef Julien Baz. The chef will introduce you to the gastronomic proposal that draws on the foundations of Basque cuisine: good produce, hot coals, broths and stews to transform ancient gastronomic tradition into innovative dishes, full of freshness and identity.

After a delicious meal, return to the ship on an approximately one-hour drive.

Wine Maker Bartol Izagirre

"Txakoli is an essential part of Basque culture and it unites us to our territory," says Bertol Izagirre, who runs the winery.

Bertol Izagirre is Azurmendi chef-owner Eneko Atxa's cousin and the son of the original founder of the winery, Atxa's uncle Gorka Izagirre, after whom it is named. Azurmendi <https://www.theworlds50best.com/The-List-2017/31-40/Azurmendi.html>, located just up the hill from the cellar, has always made the most of the region's unparalleled fresh produce, and the winery is an extension of the same mindset. "We want to raise the quality of the wines produced in the Basque Country and to give them more value, first at the local level and then internationally," says Izagirre.

Chef Julen Baz

He studied at the hotel school in Leioa and at the same time complemented his training as a disciple of Eneko Atxa in Azurmendi (three stars Michelin). In 2010 he gathered courage and decided to carry out his own project together with his brother Imanol, Urtza Tavern. In 2019 he ventured into the world of grilled at Asador Horma Ondo and then returned to the Azurmendi kitchen.

Today, after hard research work with bartenders, villagers and producers, he is a partner and chef at Garena. In a 18th century farmhouse, located between the natural parks of Urkiola and Gorbea, Baz dusts off ancient Basque traditions served with 21^st century style. HIs innovative exquisiteness earned his recent award with a Sun in the Repsol guide and the podium at Chef Revelation in Madrid Fusión.

Points of interests

Points of interest seen on this excursion include: Txacoli Cellar Gorga Izaguirre, Garena Restaurant, Basque Cuisine

Note

Please note: This tour involves a moderate amount of walking with a few steps to negotiate to get on/off the coach. This tour is not suitable for guests with limited mobility and guests who utilise a wheelchair. Lightweight, comfortable clothing, flat, closed-toe walking shoes and sun protection are recommended.