We arrived at Alain Gerber, and right at the entrance, a motto written on a blackboard set the tone:
“We drink to forget, but we taste to remember!”
A promising start!

For 50 years, the famous triple “A”s, Albert, André, and Alain Gerber, have been running the winery. Alain represents the third generation of winemakers, raised by a father who defined dedication. Mathilde, his daughter, will carry the torch next, making the future not just bright, but… AAAMazing.

The family cellar sits above the village of Hauterive. In 2011, it expanded, but not at the expense of history. The new cave was buried underground to preserve the 18th-century building above it, a quiet guardian of the past that still dominates the view. From this base, they cultivate 10 hectares of vineyards spread across six neighboring communes: Colombier, Hauterive, St-Blaise, Cornaux, Cressier, and La Neuveville.

Julien, head of the cellar, welcomed us with the kind of vintage optimism professionals don’t fake:
“It was a wonderful summer. If the rain slows now, we’re looking at an exceptional year.”

The harvest was scheduled between the 10th and 15th of September and can last 2 weeks. The work intense, around two weeks total, with ten days of effective cutting. All by hand. No machines, no shortcuts. Just people moving through rows of limestone-laced soil, collecting grapes cluster by cluster.

We start the tasting! Neuchâtel’s legendary Non-Filtered Chasselas, bottled straight after fermentation in January, intentionally left unfiltered, slightly cloudy, and gloriously alive. The palate bursts with lemon, peach, and white floral lift. This is why locals call it the first wine of the year, made to be drunk immediately, crisp and vivid. The labels are even printed upside down, a playful but genius solution to encourage movement inside the bottle, helping mix the natural haze before serving.

With Chasselas, he says, that softness matters. It’s a low-pH grape with naturally high acidity, which is exactly why the family always runs it through full malolactic fermentation. Without it, the wine can feel too sharp, too tense—too linear. This grape wants poise, not tension.

With the red wines, the philosophy shifts from grace to guardianship. Pinot Noir is naturally delicate, lower in tannins and color compounds than many red varieties. If the pH goes too high during vinification, freshness drops, stability weakens, and definition blurs. Keeping it controlled isn’t just technical, it’s existential. Pinot must remain elegant, structured, and microbially safe. In other words: protected.

We poured the Cru de Champréveyres, Neuchâtel AOC, a true delight and Julien’s benchmark moment: “For me, Chasselas is exactly this,”. This is a true single-parcel wine, a plot where Chasselas finds its ideal voice: round rather than razor-sharp, lightly aged on lees, but above all driven by terroir, limestone-bright soils, perfect exposure, and deep roots that dig for minerals, not attention. The result speaks with restraint and carries with precision: long, distinguished, quietly electric, the citrus aromas leaning toward clementine with a cool mentholated lift, as if the Alps whispered through a tangerine peel.

Climatic hazards keep hitting. Last year (2024), the vineyards were struck by frost and some hail, causing heavy losses—up to 40%. In Saint-Blaise, some wineries lost up to 90%.

So I push the question: which wine pays the bills? Or in Switzerland, does everything simply sell itself? Julien doesn’t hesitate: "Pinot Noir carries the economy in Neuchâtel. This is Chasselas country, yes, but just as much Pinot Noir land."

When I asked if that was the reason he came here, he laughed:
“No, it was for a woman… but I make time for wine too.” Laughter followed. The tasting continued.

“This year was sunny and ripe. That makes reds easier to drink, but also more dangerous. More sun means higher pH, and higher pH means more potential problems. There’s a real risk of jammy flavors if we don’t handle ageing carefully.”

In Switzerland, adding sugar before or during fermentation (chaptalisation) to raise potential alcohol is legal, but strictly regulated. In cooler or less sunny years, Chasselas and Pinot sometimes need a little lift. Chaptalisation (sugar correction) this year won’t be necessary. Rain has already balanced the concentration naturally.

We tasted the still Pinot Gris, a more full-bodied, round white example. “This year we will also make a sweet dessert wine using grape drying in small crates with Pinot Gris.”

Papa Gerber (André) arrived a few minutes before and added to the conversation:
“It’s all about the vineyard exposure, and higher up, the roots stop because they hit the stone.”

In mountain vineyards, vine roots don’t always go deeper, it depends on the soil. Where there’s depth and porosity, roots can reach several meters, but in shallow, stony sites over hard limestone, like in Neuchâtel, they often stop or divert when they hit the rock, spreading instead into cracks and fissures.

The Collegiate Church, built in the 12th–13th centuries on the Castle Hill, with the famous pierre d’Hauterive (yellow limestone)

Neuchâtel's yellow limestone (pierre d'Hauterive) also combined with other materials.

The iconic stone of Neuchâtel is Pierre d’Hauterive, also known as Neuchâtel’s yellow limestone: a marine, sedimentary limestone with an ochre-yellow hue, the same that built the old town and gave its walls their warm golden tone, and the same we recognize today in the glass. It is also studied by geologists as part of the region’s natural and cultural heritage.

Now we taste Alain Gerber’s Neuchâtel AOC Chardonnay Expression. Aged in barrel for one year, oak integrated smoothly. Julien added that "not everyone can make a barrel-fermented Chardonnay with tension in a Burgundian style", which I totally agree.

For Chardonnay in Burgundy, the classic techniques (many also used in Neuchâtel) include:
• Barrel fermentation and ageing (228 L barrels in Burgundy)
• Lees stirring to build texture and complexity (batonnage).
• Malolactic fermentation, typically applied.
• Controlled oxygen exposure through the barrel.
• Harvesting when sugar and acidity are balanced, avoiding over-ripeness.

Barrel selection is key for a great Chardonnay. The goal is to expand production to 10 barrels this year, supported by minimal disease pressure. Lees ageing only works when the base wine is clean and healthy, without that foundation, the risk of faults increases

And then, as we were tasting the creamy crunchiness for the Chardonnay, and as the tasting felt complete, the twist arrived: the father owns a distillery.

Papa Gerber isn’t just a winemaker. He’s also a distiller in Cornaux, proudly defending Neuchâtel’s other liquid tradition, handmade fruit and root spirits distilled with artisan precision. Whether it’s plum, pear, the small local red-violet bérudge plum, or bitter alpine gentian root, his mission is the same: bottling terroir in another form.

Gentians are mountain flowers (Gentiana), known for their vivid blue and purple blooms across the Alps, the Pyrenees, and other high peaks. Gentians distillates are typically made from fermented and distilled roots and rhizomes.

When André talks distillation, his face lights up, not like a businessman launching a product, but like a craftsman unveiling a secret. We had to get a bottle!

So we raise a glass back to them now:
A million thanks for your time, conviction, and wisdom, Gerber family, Julien and your passionate team! And thank you Eric for the discovery!
We’ll be back and hope to meet the rest of the family soon.

What a day in Zürich! Art & wine at the Kunsthaus—the perfect pairing. I went with my dear friend Jocelyn from Artivino, and together we had the chance to meet the legendary Paolo Basso.

First came the fan moment: “We’re fans! Can we take a photo with you?” His warm reply: “Of course—and later, you can also come taste my wines!” How could we resist?

And so we did. We tasted his entire lineup, guided by Paolo and Hélène. Their professionalism, kindness, and generosity made it an unforgettable experience. Paolo has that rare ability to make every taster feel seen—whether novice or expert—with effortless grace and class.

Paolo added with a smile: “We’re a young winery, only 10 years old.”

Here’s the journey through the glass:

Fiore di Chiara Bianco del Ticino DOC – bright and floral white Merlot that bursts with freshness.

Le Rosé Ticino DOC Rosato di Merlot – elegant, lightly structured rosé, expressive wild strawberries.

Il Bianco di Chiara Ticino DOC Bianco di Merlot – refined and complex, gastronomic, intriguingly layered.

Bouquet di Chiara Ticino DOC Merlot – traditional and versatile, violets and cherries, wonderfully glou glou.

Il Rosso di Chiara Rosso del Ticino DOC – spicy and pyrazinic. A bold, structured blend of Merlot, Cabernet Franc & Cabernet Sauvignon—“Bordeaux-style” with a Ticino twist.

Samhàin Ticino DOC Merlot – ruby-hued, dramatic old-vine Merlot with Burgundian depth, silky tannins, and lifted red fruit. A delight.

Later, Paolo shared a candid reflection:
“What worries me most about the future is the weather—even if we can predict what is coming, we can’t do anything about it.”

As the old saying goes ... Climate is what you expect, weather is what you get.

Thank you Paolo and Hélène—hope to visit soon in Ticino!

And that was just the beginning… this fabulous tasting showcased around 130 Swiss wineries, each presenting several cuvées. A big bravo to Swiss Wine Selection, Swiss Wine Connection and Swiss Wines for organizing such a brilliant event.

I was thrilled to reconnect with familiar faces and old colleagues! Next year I’ll make sure to attend both days, to give every winery the time and attention they deserve.

Stay tuned, more highlights from the Swiss Wine Tasting coming soon here on @WineDefenders !

Caves de la Béroche is one of Switzerland’s pioneers in organic viticulture and this summer celebrated its 90th anniversary on Saturday, August 16.

Founded in 1935, the cooperative has preserved the winemaking tradition of the region for nearly a century, while also leading the way in organic viticulture with their Domaine des Coccinelles.

Neuchâtel AOC. The Neuchâtel region, located on the shores of the lake that shares its name, is one of Switzerland’s most renowned controlled designations of origin (AOC). With a winemaking tradition dating back to Roman times, it is celebrated for its delicate and elegant Pinot Noir, its refreshing Chasselas, and specialties such as Œil-de-Perdrix, a rosé of international renown born in the region. Although Neuchâtel AOC is smaller in size than regions such as Valais or Vaud, it holds a key place on the Swiss wine map thanks to its quality. And it is in this privileged setting that Caves de la Béroche has written its history.

The “Ladybird Estate” (Domaine des Coccinelles) is more than just a charming name. Ladybirds, the tiny red guardians of the vineyard, are part of the domaine’s philosophy and labels. They feast on aphids and other pests, protecting vines naturally and keeping biodiversity alive. In 1992, the domaine became fully Bio Suisse certified, making it one of the first in Switzerland to embrace organic practices. Maurice Lambert began this journey, and his son Pierre carried it forward. Today, Michael, Maître de Chais, and Tania Gfeller, who leads the winery, together with the team, honor this heritage with remarkable finesse and savoir-faire.

So when you raise a glass of Domaine des Coccinelles, you taste more than grapes and soil. You taste a living ecosystem, where every small creature has its part to play.

With that spirit, the 90th anniversary celebration began in St. Aubin. A month and a half after returning to Switzerland, there couldn’t have been a better moment to join the party and discover their cuvées at their anniversary, right at the Place des Pêcheurs.

We arrived at 17h and found Daniel at the bar, the perfect host, multitasking like a pro, even when the counter looked overbooked. He welcomed us warmly, guided the tasting, and still managed to make sure I could photograph every bottle. There was even a blind tasting competition, so naturally, we tried all the wines in advance to sharpen our palates and improve our chances of guessing the grape varieties.

And so, the tasting began…

The wines we tasted 
Whites & Orange

Chasselas Caves de la Béroche 2024 | 12,1%
Pale lemon yellow. Notes of fresh apple, pear, delicate flowers, and a subtle citrus touch. Smooth, balanced, and quintessentially a Neuchâtel Chasselas.

Solstice 2024 Souvignier Gris | Domaine des Coccinelles | 13%
Lemon yellow with golden reflections. Exotic fruit and floral notes, with a citrus accent, an attractive bitterness, and a light herbal hint. Broad on the palate, mixing ripe and green apple, with a saline-mineral finish.

Many of you may be wondering: what is Souvignier Gris? Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No! Souvignier Gris is a German white grape variety from the PIWI family, created in 1983 by Dr. Norbert Becker in Freiburg through the crossing of Seyval Blanc and Zähringer. It is notable for its strong resistance to fungal diseases such as downy and powdery mildew, making it an attractive option for more sustainable viticulture.

Pinot Gris 2024 Caves de la Béroche | 13,5%
Pale yellow. Bright and fresh. Stone fruit, delicate spice, and lively acidity. Precise and balanced.

Chardonnay Barrique 2023 | Caves de la Béroche | 13,5%
Medium golden yellow. Rich and creamy, with toasted vanilla, ripe pear, and a touch of spice. Medium-bodied white, marked by its oak aging.

Pulpe Vin Orange 2023 | Domaine des Coccinelles | Gewürztraminer | 13,5%
Deep amber, after 5 weeks of maceration. On the nose, dried apricot, orange peel, and warm spices. On the palate, surprising glyceric texture, light tannic grip, candied fruit, and a long finish.

Oeil de Perdrix L’Original 2023 | Domaine des Coccinelles | 13%
Bright salmon rosé. Notes of fresh strawberry, subtle raspberry, rose petals, delicate citrus, and a mineral touch. Fresh, delicate, and elegant.

Sparkling

Ladybird Petnat Rosé | Domaine des Coccinelles | Pinot Noir | 13,5%
Rosé and effervescent. Aromas of wild red berries, fresh yeast and light brioche, with hints of dried herbs and a lively sparkle. Dry, unpretentious, and a pét-nat de soif.

Fa’bulleux Mousseux | Domaine des Coccinelles | Método Charmat | 12,1%
Charmat-method sparkling from Chasselas, Muscaris, Pinot Blanc and Gewürztraminer. Floral, citrusy, and crisp. Brut style with low dosage, highlighting its fresh character. Bubbles of freshness.

Red

Pinot Noir Tradition 2023 | Caves de la Béroche | 13,6%
Bright cherry red. Juicy cherry, strawberry, violet, and a touch of spice. Easy-drinking yet elegant.

Pinot Noir Les Sorcières 2022 | Caves de la Béroche | 14%
Intense ruby red. Black cherry, forest berries, and a hint of pepper. Structured, silky, with ageing potential to its benefit.

Saint-Roch 2022 Caves de la Béroche | Garanoir, Gamaret | 13,3%
Deep ruby-purple. Dark fruit, cocoa, and savoury spice. Full-bodied, with enveloping tannins and a persistent finish.

Encounters along the way

Halfway through, we met Ernst – or Ernesto – who was the cellar master at Caves de la Béroche for 25 years. I was the “Kellermeister,” as he proudly said, insisting that his old job it sounded better in Swiss German, like his origin. He retired twenty years ago, and he still experiments with fruit fermentations at home. Listening to him talk about enzymes, presses, and vintages was pure joy.  Today, Michael, Maître de Chais, and Tania Gfeller, leading the winery, together with the team, continue the heritage with remarkable finesse and savoir-faire.

Later at the bar, I met Mari Trini, Swiss-born with Spanish roots. We talked about Alicante, music, and flamenco guitars while sipping bubbly – our conversation as sparkling as the Fa’bulleux itself.

And then – surprise! Sonia, part of the Béroche team, appeared. I’d seen her perform on stage with Conjonctive at Graenichen Festival, and now she was here, connecting dots between wine, music, and glass art in St. Aubin. Her handcrafted stained-glass pieces at Atelier Lavoliere in St. Aubin are as luminous as inspiring. Go and check them out -> Atelier Lavoliere.

A toast to 90 years!

Caves de la Béroche has been honoring the terroir of Neuchâtel for nearly a century. From the pioneering days of organic viticulture with Domaine des Coccinelles to today’s diverse, vibrant range, their wines tell a story of heritage, innovation, and community.

Nice way to spend a Saturday and beautiful way to celebrate 90 years.
A rock’n’roll playlist set the perfect mood. Congratulations on the great work and the party.
And lucky us, we’re just next door. Santé, et à bientôt!

Château Palmer. A morning in the vineyard and winery with Alba, Head of Viticulture at Château Palmer, who, in addition to her deep knowledge and Iberian roots, was an open book with us and incredibly kind. We went with the international sommeliers from the Basque Culinary Center and had the honour of taking part in this true masterclass in viticulture and winemaking.

At Palmer, they know how to have fun! A Passito? A white wine? When nature allows it, they make a Passito white Merlot with 200/300g/L of residual sugar aprox. Their white wine comes from a field blend (3ha) of 4 grape varieties: white Merlot, Muscadelle + Sauvignon Gris (similar to Sauvignon Blanc), and Lauzet (adds acidity).

I don’t wanna make you jealous, but I tasted the ‘white Palmer’ in the past with the one and only Javier Zacagnini. Both of these wines are very limited and reserved for special events/clients/friends.

Château Palmer is 100% biodynamic. They officially turned biodynamic in 2014 (66ha), after experimenting with 1ha in 2008. The results of this experiment showed the wine was as good as before, and therefore, since it was better for the soil and for the workers, they decided to convert. They work biodynamically ‘without fanaticism’, more in the field than in the winery.

They have 2-3 cows on property, going up to 25, and 50 sheep that triple in winter. When flowering arrives, no more sheep on the field (they’d attack the tender part of the vine), so they are there aprox. from November to April.

In July, they have 120 people working in the vineyards! Labour availability is always tricky, but they work with associations, and some stay to work after the summer job.

Harvest finishes in 3 weeks (8kg baskets), normally the last 2 weeks of September and the first week of October. Then, they work the soil and plant cover crops until spring.

They now offer a new deluxe enotourism option: one day at Palmer with Michelin-starred chef, Jean-Denis Le Bras, sharing moments with the workers, and a private dining experience for 2 to 10 people. It just started and is already fully booked.

What else to say? Château Palmer is different! It is the most ‘Hayao Miyazaki’ château of Bordeaux. Full of magic and nuances, from the vineyards to the sensibility and textures in the glass. Palmer and Alter Ego are both out of this world. Thanks a lot Alba and Château Palmer for your time and wisdom.

High-Precision Artisans.

March. Proclaimed the month of women, with its celebration on the 8th. I like to think that every month is March for THEM. In March, we bury the winter and welcome the spring. Spring represents change, marked by THEM through projects born from passion, courage, love for the land, family, and life.

On 8 March, together with Yolanda Campos, "chefa" of La Cabezuela cheeses, we organised a tasting to present and celebrate the work of several masters of fermentation: in wine; Bea Herranz (from Barco del Corneta), Esmeralda García (from Arenas de Santyuste), Bárbara Requejo (from Las Pedreras); in cheese, Rita García (from Cortes del Muar), Chelo López (from Quintián), Soraya Bosch (from Binigarba), Olivia Piña (from Villaluenga), the sisters (from Ruperto), Paqui Cruz (from Dehesa de los Llanos); and in bread, Nuria Escarpa (from 3letras PAN), for the absolute delight of our attendees.

The Master Winemakers and Viticulturists

Beatriz Herranz

Beatriz Herranz at el Paraje del Infierno, La Seca.

Beatriz Herranz presents Barco del Corneta 2023 (Verdejo) for the ELLAS tasting.

Oenologist, but first and foremost a viticulturist. From La Seca, Rueda (Barco del Corneta – 5 ha). What she loved was the countryside, and from the beginning, she knew she wanted to work organically. Sixteen years ago, there were no organic vineyards in her area. Like many in the region, she was linked to the vineyard and inherited a plot of land stripped of vines from her grandmother in 2008. And she planted.

In 2010, she moved to Cebreros with a project to recover old vines and native varieties, based on a plan conceived with great soul, which she wanted to bring back to her homeland. And there, almost by chance, in the third year of her vineyard, she harvested 500 kg and fermented them in a barrel. The result was a success. A trial and an achievement. At that time, the market was saturated with homogeneous Verdejos, and there was much to explore. She opted for low yields of 5000 kg/ha to maintain the balance of her vines. She strengthens them with a living soil, providing tools to sustain its vitality.

Beatriz says: "It’s not the same to eat well and be healthy as it is to rely on vitamin supplements." This is her philosophy of life. "Once you see the results, you can’t go back." She also works with native yeasts, allowing her wines to settle naturally in barrels or tanks. Vineyard and winery work require extensive observation and, above all, time. It is an artisanal way of running her project within a sea of large wineries in Rueda. Later, she searched for and found old vines planted on their own roots, over 100 years old, in deep sandy soils with a layer of gypsum beneath. Lands ideal for finer, more elongated wines, with the added effect of the gypsum, providing moisture retention similar to albariza soil.

Verdejo and Palomino vines give birth to her trilogy of wines, “Paraje del Infierno”, named after the Viura vineyard of El Judas, where it was once said that nothing would grow: La Sillería, El Judas, and Las Envidias. I tasted La Sillería, with extraordinary finesse, and Las Envidias, a biologically aged wine in a cask, delicate and complex. El Judas was not possible; last year, the harvest was lost to frost. She does not buy grapes when things go wrong in the field. Philosophy: to make wine exclusively from her vineyards. She is faithful to her land, respectful of its past and present, and has an admirable goal: to ensure a long future for her vines.

Bárbara Requejo

Bárbara Requejo, in Villanueva de Ávila.

Bárbara Requejo brings Linarejos 2023, a blend of Albillo Real and Manzanilla.

Oenologist and viticulturist from Las Pedreras (5 ha), in the Alto Alberche region, Ávila. She did not come from a family of winemakers, but her uncle passed on his passion and profession: oenology. After completing her studies in Valladolid, her hometown, she spent four years working as a trainee oenologist, travelling between the northern and southern hemispheres, gaining experience in prestigious wineries in France, Chile, California, and New Zealand. Returning home, she wanted to take control—to make the decisions, moving from labourer to leader. At just 24, she became the technical director of the Gredos Soto Manrique cooperative, learning alongside veteran viticulturists.

In 2019, while dining with clients at a restaurant called La Querencia in Villanueva de Ávila, she fell in love—with Guzmán, the chef, and with the Alto Alberche region. His family owned vineyards, though in that area, vines are scarce—or rather, hidden. They are extremely old (a vineyard considered young in the region is 60 years old), and he made wine for the restaurant. The pandemic brought unexpected projects to those who adapted. In 2020, with the restaurant closed, they dedicated themselves to the vineyards, launching Las Pedreras, the first winery in Villanueva. Their vineyards are their hallmark, employing dry farming techniques and bush-trained vines on poor granite soils.

Bárbara explains how she had to leave behind some of her prior knowledge and instead observe the vineyard, adapting to its conditions rather than imposing her methods. Alongside tending to their old vines, they embarked on a shared challenge: investing all their savings to purchase vineyards and land to plant a massal selection in an area where no one had planted before—at an altitude of 1,230 metres. Once again, observation was key: "Nature is more persistent and powerful than you are."

She plants with the future in mind, wanting to leave a legacy while also being part of it. Her Vertiente de las Ánimas vineyard is a spectacle—160-year-old Garnacha vines. One can perceive what they have achieved: harmony between soil, vegetation, and vine—a landscape balance reflected in their wines. From precision in the vineyard comes healthy grapes.

She says: "In conventional viticulture, you apply treatments and go home; in organic farming, you never fix a problem—you prevent it. Then, in the winery, when making artisan wine with spontaneous fermentations, you have less room for relaxation. You are in constant observation: how the cap smells, how the must develops—you cannot ferment at low temperatures..."

She affirms that she has closed a cycle, from the slate soils of Gredos to the granite of Alto Alberche. For her, part of rural craftsmanship is preserving, caring for, and supporting the continuation of native grape varieties, such as Albillo, crafting a wine in the Linarejos region of Gredos. She also makes wine in Roa, her hometown, and once again, fate was on her side. Her mother inherited old bush-trained Tempranillo vines, and the wine is called La Coronela, in memory of her grandmother, who was known by that name.

Without a doubt, craftsmanship gains strength through projects deeply rooted in tradition, heritage, respect for nature, and an understanding of the alchemy of winemaking—resulting in honest and elegant wines.

Esmeralda García

Esmeralda García in Santiuste.

Esmeralda García showcases Arenas de Santyuste 2023 (Verdejo)

Oenologist and viticulturist from Arenas de Santyuste, Segovia (6 ha). She was originally set to become a clinical microbiologist but started working in an oenology laboratory in her hometown, Santiuste. She trained in wine with a master’s degree in oenology and another in food safety. She loves the countryside and spent nine years working in a local winery.

2011 was a turning point in her life. She made a sudden decision to leave her job and return to her homeland. The magic of fermentation felt limited—her superiors suppressed her initiative. She reclaimed her grandfather’s vineyards and began a project in Medina del Campo. She was the first person in the area to produce wines using indigenous yeasts.

In 2012, she won the Nariz de Oro award, which gave her the confidence to travel and explore the wine world—visiting Jura, Bordeaux, Galicia, and Priorat, expanding her perspective. Upon returning to her village, she realised the treasure she had: pre-phylloxera vineyards between 160 and 210 years old. Many vineyards in the area had been uprooted, but the best were preserved for making local wine.

Coming from a working-class background—her grandfather Boni worked for landowners, her father was a truck mechanic—being a woman also made it difficult to rent or acquire vineyards. She continued consulting for wineries but remained focused on her romantic yet financially limited goal: making a village wine, from her own village. 

At first, the vines rebelled against her. The first two years were rough, with overripe grapes she struggled to control. “When you stop shouting, your wines will stop shouting,” her distributor told her, someone who believed in her. That’s when she started paying attention to how locals tended their vines. She travelled less, realising she needed to understand why her vineyards resisted her approach.

“I began to humanise the plants and agriculture—to stop thinking about them in terms of economic yield, but rather in terms of logical care and gratitude for what they offer.” For her, guiding old vines is a privilege, and achieving balance is essential. She is passionate about precision in her environment and what it means to produce wine from her village. “Being a vigneron requires a great deal of contemplation, often misunderstood as laziness.”

The vineyards entrusted to her will, in turn, have to be passed on, and it is her responsibility to care for them. When she started to “humanise” the cultivation process, everything began to work in harmony. Her village wine comes from four plots, four landscapes, using the same grape variety and the same winemaking process, yet each plot expresses itself differently. Vallejo has coarse sand and some pebbles—very rustic soils that turn rock-hard in summer without rain. Carrascal is all pebbles, giving wines of sun and fire, as she describes it. Fuentecilla has a high water table and tertiary-era sand (before the tectonic collision of plates, when the Tethys Sea covered the area). Lastly, Las Miñañas is the vineyard of her life, blending the power of Carrascal with the influence of Fuentecilla.

In the Las Miñañas plot, people once tried to burn the vines with diesel, but some survived. Her winery is in Bernuy de Coca, a tiny settlement in Santiuste. It has only six inhabitants, and she is one of them. The winery is just 100 m², and she ages her wines in clay amphorae, where the flor yeast grows in winter and dies in summer. I tasted her wines and experienced their flor—something I had never encountered before. She describes her wines as austere, like their landscapes and the Verdejo grape itself.

She does not align with any particular “club,” such as the natural wine movement. She does not like defects in wine and does not justify them. “Are my wines natural just because I don’t add things? It has more to do with craftsmanship than a predefined process.” In the end, craftsmanship is about time, good ingredients, and a touch of magic—that unexplainable je ne sais quoi that stirs emotions on your palate, and her wines certainly have it.

The Master Cheesemakers

Yolanda Campos

Yolanda & Juan Luis from Quesos La Cabezuela.

Yolanda Campos curates the cheeses: Mimosa from Quesería Cortes de Muar, Néboa from Ganadería Quintián, Mahón from Quesería Binigarba, Queso Payoyo from Quesería de Villaluenga, Corteza Lavada from Quesería Ruperto, Gran Reserva from Dehesa de los Llanos, and Gamoneu from Quesería Priedamu.

From Quesos La Cabezuela, she is not only the co-owner of her cheese factory but also a great ambassador of other artisan projects with which she collaborates in distribution, and which we included in the 8 March tasting. She is also an international judge, along with her husband Juan Luis, in cheese competitions. Together, they took over the second-oldest cheese factory in the Community of Madrid, located in Fresnedillas de la Oliva. They revived the recipe for the cheese known as Tradicional, the only traditional cheese from the area made with milk from Guadarrama goats. This goat breed is large, produces little milk, but it is rich in fat.

Not bound by a Designation of Origin, they have travelled across Spain and abroad to adapt new recipes to their cheese factory. Initially, they had only two cheeses; now, they offer 15 varieties thanks to their 900+ goats, which are fed on forage. The livestock is raised extensively, as there is not enough pasture all year round, and in summer, their diet is supplemented with organic feed.

They create their own ferments, setting them apart from other cheesemakers who purchase them from laboratories. Fermentation is highly sensitive, especially in Madrid’s continental climate. Despite cheese being made from milk, rennet, ferments, and salt, it requires meticulous precision.

Master Baker

Nuria Escarpa

Nuria Escarpa, in 3letras PAN

Nuria Escarpa provides the breads: raisin and walnut bread, quelitas, regañás, rye loaf, wheat baguette, and wheat and flaxseed baguette.

Nuria is the head baker at 3letras PAN in Madrid. A psychology graduate, she does not come from a family of bakers. She began baking bread at home in 2005, which led her to an extensive career in international projects supporting female entrepreneurs in Venezuela, Peru, Colombia, and Ecuador—many of them linked to gastronomy. She was the head of cooperation at the Madrid Business Confederation. After several entrepreneurial projects, including a Brazilian bakery in 2020, which did not succeed due to the pandemic, she rose again and took charge of 3letras PAN.

3letras is a symbol of identity, representing the three primary ingredients: flour, water, and salt. It is a project where she merges all her knowledge, experience, and passion for fermentation. She has turned 3letras PAN into a social space for women in baking, employing only women—some of whom are migrants or in vulnerable situations. It is her way of contributing her "grain of flour."

For her, baking is a way to communicate with the world through her sourdough creations, using organic ingredients. It is an artisanal craft that allows her to continue travelling and learning. She recently returned from baking in Thailand. In her bakery, she hosts "bread pairings" (PANidajes) from her "bread pantry" (desPANsa), where enthusiasm + passion = fermentation. Nuria is undoubtedly a PANtastic woman.

We must applaud small-scale work more than ever, for what it represents: a great wave of artists rather than mere artisans, women and men who bring us closer to the deepest roots of our culture, giving them new life. Today, craftsmanship is also innovation, and therefore, evolution and creation