Tierra y Vino: a leader in haute cuisine and a link between the Basque region and French culinary techniques
Tierra y Vino: a leader in haute cuisine and a link between the Basque region and French culinary techniques
Located in the heart of the Rioja Alavesa region, in the Palacio de Samaniego Hotel (“Samaniego Palace”) owned by the Rothschild family, the Tierra y Vino Restaurant has become a leader in haute cuisine in the Basque Country. The gastronomic journey begins in their garden, where diners are invited to discover the wide variety of vegetables and aromatic plants that they grow for use in their kitchen. Once inside the palace, guests are greeted by an interior that has been carefully restored by the firms LVG Arquitectura and Vila Studio. In the reception and dining areas, it is worth noting the exquisite decoration, which harmoniously combines the building’s original stone structure from the eighteenth century with designer furniture and works of art brought from all over the world: a collection of vases of different styles and periods (with a large presence of ceramic art and Murano glass), indigenous accessories, sculpture paintings made in paper and aluminum, and recycled wood tables (with a patchwork design) custom created by French cabinetmaker Mathisse Dalstein.
In charge of the palace’s kitchens is chef Bruno Coelho, a man who, after eight years at the neighboring Marqués de Riscal Hotel (first as chef de partie, then as sous-chef, and finally as head chef), took on the great challenge of designing and directing the gastronomic experience at Tierra y Vino.
For the indoor dining areas, Coelho proposes a tasting menu called Edmond (making reference to Baron Edmond de Rothschild) and an impeccable selection of set dishes that draws on the entire repertoire of the surrounding area, featuring Iberian and Basque specialties using French techniques. The Edmond tasting menu, which changes every season, includes dishes like: croacker carpaccio with turnip and seaweed; tuna with tomato and almond; braised zucchini, quail, and kéfir; scallop and lamb in peanut pilpil sauce; braised turbot with nettle and codium seaweed; lamb with eggplant millefeuille; pigeon with craterellus mushroom and mole; apple with ice cider; and kizkilurrin with early figs and black walnut. The set menu surprises diners with delicacies like: braised zucchini with pheasant ravioli; scorpionfish with almond pilpil and suquet; wild boar with broad beans and celeriac; duck in textures with cauliflower; and black pear with kefir ice cream.
The restaurant’s outdoor space, known as El Jardín de Ariane (“Ariane’s Garden” – in homage to Baroness Ariane de Rothschild, who was the driving force behind the creation of the hotel), is a haven of peace sheltered by a pergola. For this idyllic garden terrace, the chef has designed a more accessible menu featuring regional specialties made with local ingredients: beet salad, Idiazábal and mushroom croquettes, Orio-style hake, grilled sirloin, and chocolate entremet.
Orchestrating the dining room and terrace are Miren Ormazabal and her team, who guide diners with very personal service. That closeness with which they welcome their customers while maintaining the highest of standards in terms of their service is what characterizes this palace and turns it into a kind of family home. Ormazabal is also responsible for guiding customers in selecting their wine. The Rothschild family owns a number of wineries (Château Clarke, Amistà, Château des Laurets, Château de Malengin, Champagne Barons de Rothschild, and Château Malmaison in France, Flechas de los Andes in Argentina, Rimapere and Akarua in New Zealand, Rupert & Rothschild Vignerons in South Africa, and Macán in the Rioja Alavesa region) and, therefore, the Tierra y Vino menu is supported by labels from those properties, but it also features leading options from the world’s most renowned wineries: Castillo de Ygay Gran Reserva Especial 1986, Sierra Cantabria CVC, Remírez de Ganuza Gran Reserva, Las Beatas, and Vega Sicilia Único.
Asked about her vision for this gastronomic hotel, Baroness Ariane de Rothschild responded as follows: “At Palacio de Samaniego, I wanted to offer a new experience inspired by my family’s way of life, to add beauty and elegance to this historic home, and to provide a new take on wine tourism in the Rioja Alavesa region. Cuisine unifies and creates bridges between people and cultures. Tierra y Vino acts as a link between the Basque region and French culinary techniques, precise and meticulous: the experience is unique and surprising, always respecting local products and the wines served.”
Tierra y Vino
Calle Constitución 12, Samaniego.
Tel.: +34 945 660 000
