NEREA CUENCO

The bond between wine and food takes on tangible form in the kitchens and dining rooms of restaurants, those temples of hedonistic cultural worship that bring this pairing to the world. It is an honest expression of who we are socially and geographically. A palpable sense of place, on the plate and in the glass.

Wine, food and a healthy culture of fun. The hedonistic side of life has inspired Nerea Cuenco's personal and professional philosophy since she studied leisure sociology at university.

After completing her degree in sociology, she worked in industrial marketing for a few years but quickly realized that she wasn't made for routines and the monotony of office life. She wanted something more creative and social, something where she could apply what she'd learned at university and provide people with an enjoyable experience. And so...

“In 2006 I joined my partner, Jon Lodeiro, who was already a caterer and a magnificent chef by then, in openingSikera, a restaurant and wine barin Barakaldo, Bizkaia.’

Nerea might have developed an interest in wine early on, but the turning point came during an extended stay in France. “When I was 24, I spent a summer studying French at the University of Bordeaux, and I was so impressed by the size of the Enology Department, and the region's vast vineyards and châteaux. This is where I first experienced the methodology of wine tasting.”

This initial curiosity inspired a new professional direction. And so, after opening Sikera, Nerea completed her formal education at the Escuela de Hostelería (hospitality school) in Artxanda, followed by a postgraduate degree at the University of La Rioja (sensory wine analysis certification).

“I'm amazed by what a trained human palate can discern. We will never invent a more complex tasting machine.”

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Over time, wine has gradually transformed Sikera's identity.

“Over the years, we have become more of an à la carte restaurant, maintaining the same quality-driven, honest principles but with better service and raw materials. At the bar, we serve wines and small plates prepared with top-notch seasonal products.”

Nerea has put a lot of thought into the wine list and her customers expectations: “They want a select list, not too long, but carefully chosen. Of course the list includes renowned brands and wineries, but smaller wineries and less commercial wines are also well represented.”

The secret? Nerea confesses that she personally chose the almost 150 wines in their cellar. “These are all wines that I would share with people I really like.”

Among them are several Familia Torres wines, as well as wines from its sister wineries in Chile and California. For many, the wines are a discovery, with a following that is growing steadily. “We have customers who regularly ask for your wines. They are very loyal.”

“The organic and environmental awareness embodied by many of your wines is also very interesting, and so is the fact that some of them are vegan friendly.”

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For Nerea, the efforts that go beyond the winemaking itself are important; values that she also happens to share:

“I would also mention your work on micro-productions and microvinification, and the enormous effort to bring back varieties that had almost gone extinct. This is such important work, and I try to let my customers know about it whenever I can.”

An intangible, emotional added value that seals our relationship with Sikera and its regulars, as well as our connection to wines with great personality and individual style: “Congratulations!”

To you and yours, Nerea!