Bilbao hosts ‘Gure Ardoak’, the premier showcase for drinks from the Basque Country.

• A total of 101 wineries and producers are participating in the Basque drinks showroom, which features expert-led tastings and B2B meetings aimed at strengthening the sector.
• "We will continue to support you, listen to you, collaborate with you to navigate the current uncertainty, and take your concerns wherever necessary," assured the President of the Basque Government.
• The meeting was also attended by Basque Minister Amaia Barredo and is exclusively aimed at professionals in the hotel, restaurant, distribution, retail, and training sectors.

On Monday, the Euskalduna Conference Centre in Bilbao hosted “Gure Ardoak–Euskal edarien elkargunea” (“Our Wines –Basque Drinks Bringing People Together” in English), an event exclusively for professionals in the sector, bringing together wineries and producers of all types of Basque beverages. Organised by the Basque Government, Gure Ardoak brought together 101 wineries and wine companies from Rioja Alavesa, txakoli producers from Araba, Bizkaia, and Getaria, as well as Basque Beer, Euskal Sagardoa cider, liqueurs, and other Basque beverages.

Specifically, the showroom was exclusively aimed at professionals from the hotel and catering industry, the restaurant trade, the drinks distribution sector, retailers, catering colleges, and other stakeholders in the sector. Its goal was to strengthen the knowledge and presence of Basque beverages in key marketing and consumption channels.

The event was attended by President Imanol Pradales and the Basque Government's Minister of Food, Rural Development, Agriculture and Fisheries, Amaia Barredo. The President emphasised the importance of the drinks sector in the Basque Country as a key driver of economic development in a region that, like others, is not immune to the uncertainty impacting the global economy.

"Unfortunately, many of you are all too familiar with the impact of the Trump administration's tariff policies, as you already suffered from them during his first term as an exporting sector," said the President. In this regard, he urged those attending the meeting to work towards consolidating the consumption of Basque products "at home, but also to take advantage of the European industrial renaissance and make our case in Madrid, Paris and Brussels.”

"Everything seems to indicate that Europe will activate measures to protect its market and guarantee food security, committing to a new model of policies and aid for the primary sector. Europe must rise to the challenges ahead," he insisted, after recalling "our unwavering commitment to all of you… We will continue supporting you, we will continue listening to you, and we will continue collaborating with you because we must face the current uncertainty.”.

"The Basque Government, through the Department for Food, Rural Development, Agriculture and Fisheries, reaffirms its commitment to the wine and beverage sector with a comprehensive action plan that spans from sectoral support to the promotion of competitiveness, sustainability, and innovation… This plan is organised around key areas such as technical assistance and guidance, training and education, research and development, innovation, investment support, competitiveness and promotion, financial instruments, and marketing strategies," emphasised Basque Minister Amaia Barredo.

A Space for Exploration, Tasting, and Connection

Throughout the day, attendees visited nearly 100 stands of participating producers and had the opportunity to engage in the B2B area, a networking space that facilitated meetings between producers and professionals in the sector.

Two tasting areas were set up in the exhibition to showcase the variety and quality of Basque drinks to industry professionals. This allowed attendees to discover and assess products directly with the guidance of experts and professionals in oenology, sommeliering, spirits, and craft beers.

Each session was designed to provide a guided experience, allowing attendees to learn about the organoleptic characteristics of Basque wines, txakolis, ciders, beers, and spirits, as well as gain key insights into their production, pairings, and industry trends.

The tastings were led by a team of recognised professionals in beverages: Jose Ignacio Junguitu (Winemaker, head of ‘Junguitu. ¿Hablamos de Vino?’), Mikel Garaizabal (Wine and Cider culture promoter), Iñaki Suárez (Sommelier, Technical Manager of the PDO Bizkaiko Txakolina), Manu Iturregi (Bartender, expert in spirits and director of Bilbao Whisky Topaketa), Telmo Iruretagoiena (Wine educator), and Javier Ortega (Brewer and coordinator of Basque Beer).

The tastings have showcased the quality and diversity of drinks from the Basque Country within the professional sector, providing valuable tools for hoteliers, distributors, and shopkeepers to enhance the selection of Basque beverages available in their establishments. "They have provided an unparalleled opportunity for attendees to experience firsthand the quality and uniqueness of Basque drinks, in a professional setting designed for direct interaction between producers and key opinion leaders in the sector," stated Amaia Barredo.

Furthermore, during the meeting at the Euskalduna Conference Centre, specific areas of focus were identified to enhance the sector's position and address its key challenges: for the winegrowers' community, the priorities include profitability and competitiveness, generational renewal, improving quality of life and empowerment, as well as sustainability and innovation. For wineries, the emphasis is on quality and market positioning, value creation and profit margins, internationalisation and sustainability.