Topa! Cheers to Underwater-Aged Wine in Basque Country, Spain

Topa! Cheers to Underwater-Aged Wine in Basque Country, Spain

How about diving into the ocean to retrieve one-of-a-kind wines?

You can do that and so much more at one of our all time favorites in Basque Country: Bodega Crusoe!

Wetsuit optional: You do need a hammer to open the bottles!

Crusoe Treasure’s ‘Sea’ collection of underwater-aged Reds and now also Whites are some of if not THE most unusual wines that we have ever tasted. We can almost hear it beckoning our return!

Is it the most incredible wine we’ve ever tasted?
No, but likely the most unique! Plus, the story behind this one-of-a-kind winery and its conservation efforts, that’s the draw. The people who turned a wild dream of storing wine in barrels in the ocean and then made that vision a reality… they deserve a round of applause!

Oh, the stories they love to tell!
The magical experience of ‘visiting’ the cellars by boat, or in a wet suit, if you want to take it one step further.
The excitement of trying something so special, your friends may not even believe you that it really exists!
The ritual of opening the bottles – you’ll need a hammer, too!
That’s what makes us come back again and again. Plus, every new vintage must be tasted, too. Am I right?

How do you open a bottle of underwater-aged wine?

What does the new 2018/19 ‘Sea’ collection look like?

iNSIDE EUROPE has proudly collaborated with Crusoe Treasures since 2015, by offering our travelers a very unique look at this underwater winery — both from the water and on land. Plus, our guests got to meet owner Borja Saracho and his dedicated team. We learnt about this innovative aging process, shared great food, tasted lots of wine, and even managed to organize some wine suitcases to bring these treasures home.

Just recently, journalist Graham Keely got a taste of Crusoe Treasures, too which he shares in this article https://www.foxnews.com/lifestyle/spain-winery-underwater-caskets.

Come hungry to Greece, especially Crete

Typical lunch in Crete with different mezze
This so-called light lunch of local Mezze may make you consider skipping dinner, but please don’t!

The typical and so-called light lunch of local Mezze may make you consider skipping dinner — not that you should!

Served family-style, you will always find freshly baked local breads, cheeses, seasonal vegetables as salads, roasted, stuffed with rice, sometimes roasted meats and much more.

The feast you see above is offered at our favorite family-owned winery just outside the capital city of Heraklion — prepared fresh every day.

On the menu is what the Paterianakis sisters, their parents and team are eating themselves, cooked by mom.

Not pictured are their all-organic wines that pair perfectly well with these dishes.

Here at the Domaine, just as at many typical tavernas, a small dessert is offered complimentary by the hosts.

Make sure to leave a little room (or a lot).

#europeinsiders #travelbettertogether #visitGreece