Martin’s Bodega in Vitoria-Gasteiz: there’s more in store than wine
By Olwen Mears. The old part of the Basque Country’s capital, Vitoria-Gasteiz, like any casco antiguo in this part of the world, can throw up any number of surprises to the unsuspecting visitor, lost in its narrow and labyrinthine streets. One of its newest treasures is a small wine shop stocking local but lesser known Riojas – a surprise in itself until you meet the owner Martin, an Englishman from Bath.
Martin´s Bodega opened in September this year. It is fifteen square metres of shop tucked away on the calle Cuchillería, a name which suggests an ancient knife-forging industry. Little room is wasted. “The neighbours always comment on how many plants I can fit on my terrace at home,” says the English owner Martin Beacham.
From house plants to fruits of the vine, Martin’s Bodega is similarly replete: ‘I stock from year old to Gran Reserva – the whole range. I’ve also got quite a good range of author’s wines.’ For those, like me, unfamiliar with the denomination of wines, 2-year-old ‘Crianza’ wines must be produced in batches of at least 50 barrels. Any less, and wine is instead classified as ‘author’ or ‘special harvest’ wine.
All the wines in Martin’s Bodega are form Lapuebla de Labarca, a wine-producing town in the Rioja area of Alava where Martin and his wife have spent regular breaks throughout his twelve years in the Basque Country. The shop is testament to Martin’s love and admiration for the small family wines, which have been produced in the village for hundreds of years. Nearly all of them are produced on a small scale and are not among the widely recognized brands (only two are exported) aside from bearing the Rioja mark. ‘I’ve never believed a name is the sign of how good something is,’ says Martin. When asked to sum up the philosophy behind his shop, he has no problem: ‘You don’t have to spend a lot of money to drink good wine,’ he says without hesitation. ‘I’ve got a wine worth €2.40 a bottle and it’s wonderful; a typical year-old wine they’ve been producing in Rioja Alavesa for hundreds of years.’
Anyone interested in discovering lesser-known wines produced by small scale winemakers and sold by an (English) man passionate about his product couldn’t fail to be curious about Martin’s Bodega: ‘I’ve always said I’m not a wine expert, I’m a wine fan,’ qualifies the owner. ‘I’ve always believed wine is for drinking and in drinking the wine you like, not the wine people tell you is good.’
Martin runs the shop under the slogan ‘wine and something more’, in reference perhaps to the attention paid to each hopeful purchaser? ‘Anybody that comes in can taste the wines before they buy,’ he explains. The process of finding just the ‘right’ wine for the client is also something he finds fascinating: ‘It’s like trying on shoes; they might say “this one’s got too much of an oak flavour,” so I’ll bring out a different one I think they’ll like better. Usually they walk out with one or three bottles!’
Aside from wine, Martin’s Bodega also stocks a line of ‘wine therapy’ products: ‘A scientific research company from Logroño found that the leftovers from the wine grapes contain polyphenols, an antioxidant substance that is extremely good for the skin. They’ve produced a line of creams, perfumes, soaps, exfoliating creams, shampoos and shower gels,’ all of which are available to buy at the shop.
Another curious aspect of the wines are the unique labels designed by local artist Mintxo Cemillan for the Belezos, Harresi and Larreina ranges. They show, respectively, images of the Celedon, the ‘Almond’ of the city’s old part and a part of the old city wall. Ideal for anyone looking for a souvenir of Vitoria-Gasteiz as well as a decent wine.
Martin’s Bodega
Calle Cuchillería 74, Casco Viejo
01001 Vitoria-Gasteiz
+34 675 711 307
Great,
This is the courageous English that came to Basque Country.
A little shop, but a great man!
Good luck, Martin