We continue with our Talking with Spain series which focuses on personalities from all walks of life in Spain.

This week we talked to Edu who is the owner of an excellent wine shop in Xativa, called “Un Vinet? “. His shop is small and modern and  is tucked away in a back street of Xativa.It stocks wines from all over Spain and even some foreign ones and above all, it has an excellent choice of local wine.

Edu at the helm of Un Vinet?

The old fashioned bodega style shops have slowly dissappeared and very few survive today in modern Spain. Edu’s shop very much caters to the new market and stocks wines that in great part reflect this.

Discovering new wines and lcoal beers

The interview:

So when and why did you start your wine shop business?

Well, in 2010 tired of my job as a Agricultural Engineer I decided to follow one of my passions in life and took the plunge and eventually opened the wine shop in April 2011.

What products are the best sellers in your shop?

Red wine priced between 5 and 10 Euros from Valencia, Rioja and Ribera del Duero. We also sell two local craft beers La Socarrada(see article) and Bellveret.

Has the economic crisis affected your sales?

When we opened the shop the recession was already well under way so we can’t compare to “the good years”. However, businesses depend on people consuming and it is clear this situation affects how much people buy.

Which is your favourite wine producing region?

The truth is I like trying all types of wine which means my favourites tend to change according to the moment. At the moment I like Rioja, but next week I might say Valencia, Priorat or Bierzo.

A session for the tastebuds!

How much holiday do you take every year?

I normally take 15 days in August from the end of Feria until September.

In your opinion is there a clear tendency in the world of wine in terms of a particlular style of wine?

Yes , there is a  a tendency to emphasize the things that makes the wine different from others.This is why each bodega works and experiments with unique local grape varieties and even in some cases they try to recuperate lost varieties.

The shop in Xativa

Edu is a mine of information about wine and gives his honest opinion about any wine you ask about. I often drop in to check out his selection and to ask his advice about trying new wines or wines I don’t know. His knowledge, sincerity and relaxed attitude make for a perfect  blend and mean his customers can learn about the wines he sells  and enjoy their visit to his shop and , of course, enjoy the wine  he sells. The Spanish Thyme Traveller uses his shop to do tastings of local wines and beers with customers.

If you are ever in Xativa drop in  and see the selection of Edu’s wines. I assure you, you won’t be dissappointed. His range of Valencian wines is particularly good, stocking all the local classics and some interesting new products. The webpage is: Un Vinet?

The Spanish Thyme Traveller organise trips on which you can experience the amazing food and culture of the  beautiful interior of Valencia and Teruel.Check out our webpage by clicking on this logo: