A TASTE OF NORTHERN SPAIN

BY RICHARD FRISBIE

FROM THE SALT VALLEY TO THE ALORRENEA CIDER HOUSE, WRITER RICHARD FRISBIE EATS AND DRINKS HIS WAY THROUGH THE RIOJA ALAVESA REGION OF SPAIN’S BASQUE COUNTRY. The Basque city of San Sebastian, known for its Michelin-starred restaurants, is the pinnacle of culinary destinations in Spain. The hard work of regional vintners and growers created the foundation that supports it. But, before we taste the gastronomy of San Sebastian, my friend, Mikel Urkijo, picks me up at the Bilbao airport and insists we tour the Basque interior to seek the roots of that perfection. Saltwater from springs that bubble up to the surface through the salt deposits of ancient seas is still evaporated the way it was in Roman times at Salinas de Añana, or Salt Valley. Gravity moves saltwater along wooden troughs to shallow tables jutting out from the hillside like giant steps. They are supported by wooden scaffolding so encrusted with salt that it looks like

40 | TRAVELER’S TABLE | WINTER 2019 a snowy landscape even in summer. The result is the purest form of salt, endorsed by many Michelin star chefs, used to season the great cuisine we are served everywhere we go. The landscape of the region is dominated by rugged spires of rock to the north. The vast rolling plain below is ideal growing country, offering a patchwork vista of farms and vineyards fanning out around hilltop villages. Laguardia is the most picturesque; its ancient walls protecting narrow, pedestrian-only streets hiding a vast network of wine caves beneath them. One belongs to Casa Primicia, the oldest original winery in Spain. Here, the history of the early wine-making process is preserved. We take stone steps down to the 15th century wine cave before viewing the modern stainless-steel wine making set-up in the back room. Casa Primicia’s award-winning wines are paired with the various courses we enjoy at the nearby restaurant, Los Parajes. My favorite dish is a traditional Basque potato and sausage “Rioja style,” a satisfyingly complex comfort food to match the full-bodied Julian Madrid Reserva wine of Casa Primicia.

The village of Villabuena de Álava, with a population of approximately 300, has more than 30 local vineyards. The Villabuena Wine Route received the Best of Bilbao-Rioja Wine Tourism Awards for 2019. We are the only tourists among a primarily Spanish-speaking crowd of locals but are welcomed and guided through courses served both in the Bodegas de la Marquesa, with award-winning Valserrano wines, and our hotel’s dining room. There, excellent wines are paired with course after course of traditional Basque dishes given a modern twist. My favorite is the venison macerated with Añana salt, mixed berries and violet potatoes. The red, wine-enriched juice of the berries puddled around violet potatoes, while the sweetness of the berries cuts the richness of the tenderized meat. It’s expertly paired with Valserrano Finca Monteviejo, but my favorite wine of the evening is the white Valserrano Gran Reserva. In a deep valley surrounded by snow-capped mountains are pastures with hedgerows containing fig and banana trees. Here we find the award-winning sheep cheeses of Ondarre. Owner Eneko Goiburu Murua

shepherds 125 Latxa sheep between the distant fields and his barn daily. It’s a family operation dating back 450 years, producing hand-packed and turned cheese rounds. Its near-manchego consistency and taste have earned him the highest awards in the regional tasting competition. Each Saturday, his cheese sells for 23 euros per kilo at the largest regional farmers market in nearby Tolosa, while another local specialty – dried black beans – sells for 13 euros a kilo. Basque cider is a low alcohol, probiotic drink, best enjoyed at informal, family-style cider houses. We eat eggs, cod, and rare steaks off the serving dishes at communal tables. Nearby, narrow streams of cider shoot out of the barrels to be caught in glasses, if we are lucky! The noisy, barrel-lined halls deliver a fun-filled, delicious gathering for all ages. We visit many more wineries and restaurants – there are hundreds to choose from – and other small towns and villages on our tour. These are just the highlights. Then, having earned our visit to the culinary delights of San Sebastian, we head north, with a stop-over in the regional capital, Vitoria-Gasteiz, to ease our way back into civilization. Its ancient, pedestrian-only center is charming. Walking down tree-lined streets past many parks, we see why it was named European Green Capital in 2012, and why it is consistently ranked one of the most livable cities in Spain. Those accolades are well-earned and tempt us to linger in hopes of discovering its secrets. Sadly, Mikel and I barely pause. We thought we would be hungry for San Sebastian’s famed Michelin cuisine. Instead, country boys to the end, we decide on a pintxos (the Basque version of tapas) tour of the old town. It is a deliciously fitting end to an extravagant culinary journey.