Plentzia Bay, on the Basque coast, facing the municipalities of Barrika, Gorliz and Plentzia, is not only a setting of extraordinary natural beauty; it is also a challenging environment that tests those who wish to work in harmony with the sea.
In this corner of the Cantábrico, waves and currents have shaped the coastal and underwater landscape for centuries, creating a dynamic and often unpredictable environment. For us, having decided to age our wines beneath the sea, these extreme conditions represented a unique challenge that led to the creation of an innovative underwater infrastructure: an underwater winery–artificial reef made of concrete and steel, allowing both the wine and the sea to evolve in a way that benefited them both—and we achieved it.
Why build an underwater infrastructure?
An artificial reef for wine and marine life
The design of our infrastructure (the artificial reef winery) was not limited to protecting the bottles. From the outset, we conceived our project as an exercise in sustainability, creating an artificial reef that could withstand the force of the sea and prevent the bottles from breaking, while also creating a home for marine species and fostering a marine ecosystem.
An artificial reef is a human-made structure designed to replicate the functions of a natural reef, where countless animal and plant species live. These structures, made from materials such as concrete and steel—or even sunken ships or aircraft—provide shelter, food and space for the reproduction of various marine species. In our case, we used reinforced-concrete and steel modules conceived and designed by us. Specifically created to withstand the enormous waves and currents found in the Cantábrico, they feature cavities and rough surfaces to encourage colonisation by algae, corals and other organisms.
Proven ecological benefits
Our innovative modules (components of the artificial reef winery) have not only provided shelter for local species, but have also served as habitats for bioindicator species sensitive to environmental disturbances caused by climate change, such as Calliblepharis ciliata and Gelidium corneum.
In the five-year biological monitoring report on the underwater winery, more than 100 different marine species were documented colonising the artificial reef winery, including fish such as Scorpaena porcus, invertebrates such as shrimp, and algae that indicate good environmental quality. This success reinforces the importance of artificial reefs as conservation tools in areas affected by human activities and climate change.
Artificial reefs around the world
Our reef is just one of many. In Japan, artificial reefs have helped restore fish populations after decades of overfishing. In the United States, sunken ships in the Gulf of Mexico have created thriving ecosystems. Even small artificial reefs, such as the one created in Plentzia Bay by the underwater winery, can have a significant local impact, acting as micro-reserves of biodiversity.
A meaningful challenge
Sustainability and innovation can go hand in hand. Every bottle that leaves our underwater winery tells not only a story of ageing beneath the water, but also one of contributing to the marine ecosystem.
In this way, we face the wild Cantábrico with the certainty that our infrastructure not only protects our wine, but also safeguards the richness of the marine life that is part of our home.
And now that you know more about us, would you like to taste one of our treasures?