Berria Wine Bar It is not a restaurant, nor does it claim to be. Nor is it a bar for tapas or drinks – at least not for the ball ones. It is the wine temple what Madrid deserved and its location could not be more ideal for a toast.
Located on the corner where Calle Alcalá meets Plaza de la Independencia, Berria It is presented as a project for the wine lovers.
And the good thing about the term "lover" is that no need to be an expert: the only requirement here is let yourself go, but beware, not by just anyone. For this reason, the architects of the project welcome us at the door: Gabriela Alcorta –founder and in charge of interior design– and Thomas Ucha –the head of sommeliers, who at 28 years old, leads a team of seven young and promising professionals–.
Once seated at the table, food and drink reverse roles: “Would you like something to eat to go with the wine?” Indeed, here it is the dishes that accompany the drinks and not the other way around, After all, we have come to drink.
If we wanted to try the more than 1,600 references which houses its cellar, “It would take about five or six years”, Gabriela tells us, and that is if we came to have a drink every day! The plan doesn't sound bad at all, does it?
A toast with views of the Puerta de Alcalá.
THERE IS A BEACH HERE
This unexpected –and now essential– wine bar takes its name from Berria beach, in Santoña, a very special place for Gabriela Alcorta.
For this reason, there is a beach here, at least metaphorically. A beach with views of Puerta de Alcalá where the waves break on the shores of the Berria winery.
Born in Vitoria and adopted from Madrid –she has spent the last 31 years in the capital–, Gabriela studied Interior Decoration at IADE (Bilbao) and her entire professional life has been related to design.
she worked in Loewe as a decorator and interior designer and her main hobby is the painting –Some of the paintings you will see on the wall bear her signature –, to which she has also dedicated part of her training.
Gabriela's experience and her passion for wine were the two pillars on which Berria began to be forged, because who better than her to conceive space?
Berry's team.
WINE AS THE EPICENTER
The premises are divided into two open areas: the main room and the cellars, which are accessed by a staircase.
“Wine conservation is very important for the project” , Gabriela tells us as she leads us to the three cavas , all made with the same materials: Sipo wood, metal and led tubes that combine with natural light.
We first find ' Time machine', the transbarra cellar, dedicated to the verticals of great houses around the world. ' Bubbles and sparkling (white and pink), on the other hand, includes you dig and champagne of all the world (from Champagne to Savoie, passing through the United Kingdom).
Finally, the main cellar, baptized as 'Alma de Berria' , houses all the wines by the glass and the most iconic old vintages, with labels that go from Madrid to New Zealand (white, red, rosé, sweet...).
Almost 2,000 references and 80 wines by the glass.
Not all the references can be in the three cellars, so the rest are carefully guarded in warehouses.
To design the premises, Gabriela sought “the perfect blend between aesthetics and the necessary technique for the correct conservation of wine” . And she, of course, she made it.
Inside, the bar is the backdrop of the space, where the large mirrors, the zinc plate and the sycamore wood stand out.
For the terrace , they used noble materials, natural stones and a fossilized marble reminiscent of some other corner of the Retiro Park.
'The time machine' houses the verticals: same producer, different vintages.
TOMÁS UCHA, OUR GUIDE
Tomas Ucha Altamirano studied at the Galician Wine Institute (INGAVI) and at the Court of Master Sommeliers (CMS) in London and despite his youth, he has extensive and outstanding experience in the sector.
After taking his first steps in the Royal Yacht Club of Sanxenxo , the restaurant The Estate of Elche , he went to Madeira to work in The Golden Rooster (2 Michelin stars), he returned to Galicia, where he was a sommelier in Or Eirado gives firewood. He also went through Les 110 de Taillevent From london and was head sommelier at the prestigious Mugaritz.
Today, as director of Berria, he is in charge of the technical and operational part of the wine bar and leads a team of seven sommeliers: Mario Ayllón, Genaro Gallo and Oliva Ridruejo –the three also from Mugaritz–; Daniel Teruel of Nakeima and Roostiq; Raphael Seville of Clos; Ana Gelado of Kappo and Lavinia; Y Chabier Garcia of tricycle.
“Our business model is very simple: a well served wine. We take maximum care of the service in the room so that the experience is unbeatable. A sommelier explains in a particular way to the client the characteristics of the wine to taste” Ucha says.
And she adds: “All our wines are served in very special glasses. We work with a total of twelve models of oenological glasses of the Zalto and Riedel brands”.
Tomás Ucha, head sommeliers.
THE WINE LIBRARY
Berria's wine list is unique –both for its length and for its variety– and dynamic, since the almost 2,000 references in its cellar and its 80 wines by the glass rotate every two weeks.
Thus, update their offer while taking advantage of market opportunities and they find real jewels taken from a multitude of different wineries.
An infinite wine cellar, this is Berria, whose proposal includes sparkling, champagne, sweet, red, white and rosé, of both national and international origin (section in which references from Italy, France and Germany stand out).
They also have a section for large formats , brought from Bierzo (Descendants and José Palacios), Galicia (Lagar da Costa and Telmo Rodríguez), Bull (Vega Sicily), The Rioja (Valdelacierva, Remirez de Ganuza, Cuzcurrita Castle) the Priorat (Alvaro Palacios), Sherry (Toro Albalá and Valdespino), Tuscany (Montevertine), Piedmont (Bourgogno and Ceretto), the Loire (Clos Rougeard and Francois Cotat), and Port (Grahams), among many others.
Chablis wines come from the Chardonnay grape and the star is the Grand Cru.
Between the reds , stand out references such as the Heading North 2017 of Command G, the Rioja Telmo Rodríguez Remelluri Reserva 2012, the Vega Sicilia Valbuena or the Italian Barolo 1958 by Pio Cesare.
In the section of pink , we find infallible options like the Valdelacierva 2020 , the Viña Tondonia Gran Reserva Rosado 2010 from R. López de Heredia, the French Rosé Bandol by Domaine Tempier and Rosé Sec by Thibaud Boudignon or the Portuguese Rosé Bairrada 2005 by Luís Pato.
At Bodegas Tradición they are dedicated exclusively to the upbringing, aging and marketing of very old wines and brandy from Jerez.
Continuing with the whites , we can stand out the Gran Reserva 1986 by Marqués de Murrieta, the Vidonia 2018 by Suertes del Marqués, the Rueda Garcigrande Verdejo 2020, the German Gutedel 2020 by Wasenhaus and the Alsatian Clos Sainte Hune 2014 by Trimbach.
If we continue walking through the shelves of this wine library, we will also come across sweet wines, sparkling wines and champagnes, among which we cannot fail to mention the Dom Ruinart 1973, the Manuel Raventós 1986 by Raventós i Blanc or the Barsac Château Coutet 1988.
The wine library.
THE BERRIA DUNES
The most special division of the letter is called ‘The Dunes of Berria’ and understand a selection premium which adds even more value, if possible, to the enoteca.
Here we find jewels like the Château Pontet Canet 1993, the Flor de Pingus 2018 or the Emidio Pepe Trebbiano d'Abruzzo 2018.
One of the local cellars.
A SPECTACULAR SUPPORT
Like we have already said, here it is the food that accompanies the wine and what food! Berria's gastronomic proposal does not beat around the bush and bets on the product quality , featured in a simple menu in which we want absolutely everything.
We let ourselves be advised once again and start with anchovies from Santoña in butterfly (which are presented joined by the tail), the 100% Iberian ham croquettes and a Russian salad with bonito from Santoña and free-range egg that at the first bite, already becomes part of our list of favorites in the capital.
Anchovies from Santoña.
The starters section, baptized as “Berria beach” It also includes classics like the gildas , fried eggs with sausage, tomato salad with ventresca, asparagus from Navarra and salmorejo from Córdoba.
Also very good options are cuttlefish tails, 100% Iberian acorn-fed loin , the cheese board and the Patxi Larrañaga sausage.
Iberian ham croquettes.
After toasting with Champagne Geoffroy Rosé de Saignée , we changed the third and our "guide", the sommelier Daniel Teruel proposes us a Matias Riccitelli Hey Malbec! 2020 , a juicy and balanced red just arrived from Mendoza Argentina).
on the nose, notes of blackberry and plum. In mouth, round and fleshy. A delicacy that we accompany with two main dishes: the Tuna tartare (with touches of wasabi and soy), from the “La Mar” section and the grilled sirloin , from the section "Luismi Garayar's meat" , which includes such delicacies as the steak tartar or the premium beef steak that will delight the most carnivorous.
Premium beef steak.
For dessert, Nieeport 10 years old Tawny , a Port with aromas of fruity lemon peel, hints of caramel and honey that we accompany with the spectacular apple pie.
With this tremendous finale, we say goodbye (although not for long) to the one who, in a few months, has become the wine bar most desired of the capital.
Tuna tartare.
And if you want to take the experience to the next level, in Berria they offer the possibility of celebrating events (aimed at both professionals and individuals), tastings and tastings. “We have organized book presentations, private tastings and even a wedding! ”, Gabriela Alcorta tells Condé Nast Traveler.
Nieeport 10 years old Tawny and apple pie.
“The celebration of events and the power share the wine experience it is a fundamental part of this project and what shapes Berria's DNA”, adds Tomás Ucha.
And she remembers: when you enter Berria “you must do it with an open mind, because you will always find endless flavors and smells where time vanishes” . Health!
Berria's terrace.