Oxer Bastegieta: A Winemaker Guided by Soul, Soil, and Sound.
We were recently invited by Dutch importer 12% of Meer to attend an intimate winemaker dinner with Oxer Bastegieta, hosted at wine bar and restaurant NOTK in Rotterdam. The evening offered more than just a tasting—it was an immersive encounter with one of Spain’s most visionary and expressive winemakers. Inspired by the wines and conversation, this article explores Oxer’s personal journey, his winemaking philosophy, and the three Spanish regions that form the canvas for his unique artistry: D.O. Bizkaiko Txakolina, D.O.Ca. Rioja (both Alavesa and Alta), and D.O. Toro.
In the world of wine, where legacy often defines prestige, Oxer Bastegieta’s story breaks the mold. Without a family history in winemaking, Oxer carved his own path—one guided not by inheritance, but by instinct, inspiration, and a deep reverence for terroir. Today, he is one of the most compelling voices in modern Spanish wine, with roots stretching across three distinctive regions.
From a Valley in Bizkaia: The Unlikely Beginning
Oxer’s journey began in the picturesque valley of Kortezubi, nestled in the Basque hills. While his mother and brother ran a local restaurant, winemaking was never part of the family tradition. But the land surrounding the restaurant beckoned, and in 1996 Oxer planted his first vines with the goal of creating a house wine for the restaurant. By 1999, his first vintage was bottled—intended only for diners. What followed was unexpected. The wine garnered instant local acclaim, with guests eager to take bottles home. “I saw people leaving the restaurant with boxes,” he recalls, “and I thought—maybe I need to make more.”
Thus began a gradual but deliberate expansion. From one hectare of self-planted vines, Oxer grew to 6.8 hectares in Bizkaiko Txakolina, working biodynamically from the start—something he acknowledges is not always easy given the Atlantic climate.
Falling for Rioja: A Love Letter to the Land
It was a move south, to study viticulture in Laguardia, that brought Oxer to Rioja Alavesa. “I instantly fell in love,” he says. “The soils, the climate—it was the perfect place for biodynamic farming.” His first Rioja vintage came in 2009. What followed was a focused exploration of Rioja’s diversity, both in terroir and grape variety. He began acquiring old vineyards and making wines that express site over style. Today, he works with classic varieties like Tempranillo, Garnacha, Graciano, Mazuelo, Viura, and Malvasia, emphasizing native grapes and co-fermentations over monovarietal statements.
For Oxer, blends often triumph over single vineyards—though there are exceptions. Tartalo, his only single-vineyard wine, is made from a site so distinctive it merited separate expression. Elsewhere, wines like Kalamity and Matalaz are crafted from carefully selected vineyard plots, often spanning both Rioja Alavesa and Rioja Alta.
His vineyards now span 13 hectares in Rioja, all owned, with a recent massal selection project planting heritage clones on both sides of the regional divide—a concept inspired by Dante’s Divine Comedy. “Two sides, one vision,” Oxer muses. “Paradise and hell. If the wines are better separate, I’ll bottle two. If the blend is stronger, there will be one.”
The Soul of Toro
The third chapter in Oxer’s winemaking story is D.O. Toro. Deeply personal, it connects him to childhood memories of summer visits to an uncle’s home. “The first wine I ever tasted was from Toro. I still remember the violets,” he recalls. That early sensory impression never left him. Years later, he returned, purchasing four hectares of ungrafted, centenarian vines rooted in sandy soils rich with quartz. “I chose vineyards with Pie Franco—original rootstock. These are pure soils, with better acidity and tension.”
The result is Kuusu, a wine that reflects the soul of Toro through a winemaker’s singular vision rather than regional conformity.
Philosophy: Wine as Art and Ecosystem
While Oxer’s wines have earned critical acclaim—including high praise from respected critics like Luis Gutiérrez—they are driven more by intuition and reflection than market trends. “I never worked for anyone. I never made wine for someone else. I drink great wines to make great wines, but my influence is life itself—music, dreams, books, mythology,” he explains.
Every detail, from vineyard to label, is part of a larger artistic expression. His labels—evocative, surreal, often symbolic—draw from Basque mythology, literature, film, and his own dreams. “I didn’t inherit a coat of arms, so my wines carry the stories I want to tell. Wine is art. So is the label. It all speaks.”
The winemaking process itself is deeply personal and hands-on. Oxer is involved in every stage—from pruning to pressing. He works organically and biodynamically where possible, and views the vine not as a tool but as a partner. “The plant is not our slave. We live together in the same ecosystem. We must listen to the plant.”
Tasting Oxer: A Night at NOTK in Rotterdam
To fully grasp the emotional and sensory resonance of Oxer’s wines, one must taste them in good company—preferably with the winemaker himself. That opportunity came during a recent winemaker dinner organized by importer 12% of Meer, hosted at the atmospheric NOTK wine bar and restaurant in Rotterdam. Over the course of the evening, a carefully curated selection of wines offered a compelling journey through the three key regions Oxer calls home: Bizkaiko Txakolina, Rioja, and Toro.
The evening was elevated even further by a thoughtfully designed multi-course dinner from the kitchen of NOTK, with each dish crafted to complement Oxer’s wines and their regional personalities.
A Basque Beginning: D.O. Bizkaiko Txakolina
2020 Marko Gure Arbasoak – A pure, saline-driven white made from old Hondarrabi Zuri vines. Elegant and linear, this wine pays homage to Oxer’s family roots and his very first vineyard. DWA Score: 94/100
Paired with: Ajo Blanco – The cold almond-garlic soup from Andalusia brought a creamy base and a hint of salinity that harmonized perfectly with Marko’s Atlantic freshness.
2023 Terlegiz – A more structured and expressive expression of Txakolina, marked by floral lift, textured mouthfeel, and a fine backbone of acidity. A wine that speaks to the aging potential of the region when in the right hands. DWA Score: 94/100
Rioja, Reimagined
2022 Suzzane – A lively, aromatic red with floral and herbal complexity. Named after Leonard Cohen’s iconic song. DWA Score: 94/100
2023 Manttoni – An expressive red blend that fuses freshness with finesse. A co-fermented field blend where white and red grapes grow side-by-side, offering tension, lift, and seamless integration. DWA Score: 95/100
Paired with: Basque Stew – A comforting dish that matched the red-fruited lift of Suzzane and the earthy structure of Manttoni, highlighting the wines’ versatility with traditional cuisine.
2023 Iraun – A high-altitude white Rioja that pushes the boundaries of texture and elegance. This wine, made primarily from Viura with minority native grapes, is all about nerve and texture. DWA Score: 93/100.
2023 Kalamity Blanco (magnum) – Served from magnum, this was one of the evening’s standouts. A white Rioja blend with oxidative nuances, layered salinity, and mouthcoating texture. It mirrors the philosophical depth of its red sibling while standing firmly on its own as a terroir-driven, cellar-worthy white. DWA Score: 96/100.
Paired with: Cheese Selection – The pairing brought out the wine’s complexity and salinity, with aged cheeses emphasizing the wine’s structure and tertiary nuances.
The Kalamity Tinto Duo
A rare opportunity to taste Oxer’s iconic red across vintages. The 2017 showed the maturity, depth, and charm of an evolving classic, while the 2023 displayed youthful energy, lifted aromatics, and electric tension. Both exemplify his philosophy of blending vineyards across Rioja Alavesa and Alta for greater harmony and complexity.
2023 Kalamity Tinto – The most recent expression of Oxer’s flagship red: electric, layered, and hauntingly perfumed. DWA Score: 98/100.
2017 Kalamity Tinto – A more evolved, nuanced version with depth and silky tannins. DWA Score: 96/100.
Paired with: Risotto & Steak – The richness of the dish stood up to both vintages of Kalamity, allowing the savory and floral notes of the wines to shine.
Toro, With Restraint
Oxer’s youngest project is to be found in the D.O. Toro—a region traditionally known for power, here reinterpreted with elegance:
2023 Mamur de Toro – Floral and juicy, with lifted aromatics and gentle grip. A nod to the expressive side of Tinta de Toro, with freshness taking the lead. DWA Score: 94/100.
2023 Kuusu – From ungrafted vines over 150 years old, grown in sandy soils streaked with quartz. The wine showed refined structure, layered fruit, and a mineral undercurrent—a masterclass in precision over power. DWA Scores: 95/100.
Paired with: Brioche Mushrooms – A creative and umami-rich dish that highlighted the finesse of both Toro wines, softening their rustic edges and bringing balance to the bold varietal character.
Final Impressions
Oxer’s wines are far from ordinary. Across the tasting, a clear through-line emerged: texture, energy, and emotional connection. Whether through the salinity of Txakolina, the finesse of Rioja, or the sandy tension of Toro, each wine speaks with clarity and purpose. The culinary pairings at NOTK brought an additional layer of storytelling—flavors echoing the soul of each bottle. With multiple cuvées scoring 94 points and above—including standout ratings for Kalamity Tinto (98/100) and Kalamity Blanco (96/100)—this dinner confirmed Oxer’s place at the forefront of Spain’s new winemaking era. Wines of identity, vision, and soul—meant not only to be tasted, but to be felt.
A New Era in Rioja—and Beyond
For Oxer, Rioja is entering a new era—one defined not by tradition alone but by evolution. He is part of a wave of winemakers pushing for change, advocating for quality-focused viticulture and a deeper connection to site. “We must pay growers better. Teach them to make great grapes. Rioja can—and should—stand shoulder to shoulder with Burgundy or Barolo. But it starts in the vineyard.”
His belief in this new chapter is unshakable. And with every vintage, his wines prove the point. They are textured, vibrant, soulful. They are, above all, honest.
“When you drink my wine,” he says, “you touch me. Because I’m there—in every vine, every barrel, every bottle.”
This article is written by our own Niels Aarts. Event organized by Buro On/Off. We would like to thank Oxer Bastegieta of Oxer Wines, and Monique Vreeke of 12% of Meer, as well as the teams at NOTK Rotterdam, for an impressive evening. The wines of Oxer are imported and sold (although some on a limited basis) by 12% of Meer.
