Rioja claps the hands: reason, heart and soul
Wineries Beronia and Wineries Tío Pepe, two jewels in the González Byass Wine Family, have united the Rioja and Jerez wine regions at the tasting “Rioja claps the hands: reason, heart and soul”. El Cenador de Amós, a Cantabrian restaurant with a Michelin star, was the setting in which Matías Calleja, winemaker of Wineries Beronia, and Antonio Flores, winemaker of Wineries Tío Pepe, could show all the terroir essence of their respective wine regions.
Matías Calleja, winemaker of Wineries Beronia, started the tasting with Beronia Viñas Viejas –born on the occasion of the winery’s 40th anniversary and made from grapes grown in its oldest vineyards– and Beronia III a.C. –a wine treasure that pays tribute to the “berones”, the first settlers of La Rioja. Then, Calleja guided attendees on a tour through time and history highlighting Beronia Gran Reserva 1994 –the year of the winery’s big takeoff; Beronia Gran Reserva 1982 –the vintage that marked Beronia’s incorporation to the González Byass Wine Family, and Beronia Gran Reserva 1973 – Beronia’s founding harvest.
After the tour through the Rioja terroirs, Antonio Flores –the nose of Wineries Tío Pepe– took over. With passion and poetry, the winemaker explained the spirit of Jerez using wine gems such as Tío Pepe in Rama –inspired by the days when fino was consumed directly from the cask; Finos Palmas –which recovered one of the former wine-making traditions of the family; Apóstoles Palo Cortado Muy Viejo V.O.R.S –a wine jewel of over 30 years; and Palo Cortado de Añada 1987 –a masterpiece that shows the quality and uniqueness of the Jerez wines.
El Cenador de Amós
Located in an eighteenth century manor in Villaverde de Pontones, El Cenador de Amós is one of the best representatives of Cantabrian cuisine. Talent, passion, creativity and innovation characterise this restaurant, which extols local produce and has been rewarded with a Michelin star. Jesús Sánchez, chef of the restaurant, proposes a marriage of “tudanco ox flank with potato crust” and some of the Wineries Beronia wines. Meanwhile, Tío Pepe’s Jerez wine marvels will be the perfect match for “Cantabrian Anchovy, nigiri and nori”.