The progress of the construction works at EDA Drinks & Wine Campus in Laguardia marks a new milestone in developing this future hub for wine education. The evolution of the building is increasingly visible and reflects the strong momentum of the institutions driving the project, as demonstrated during today’s visit. Before the tour began, Joxe Mari Aizega, General Director of Basque Culinary Center, highlighted that the campus is advancing steadily and becoming a more tangible reality. He emphasized the excitement surrounding a project whose solid progress brings the region closer to a campus that will play a decisive role in the training and development of the wine and beverages sector.
The visit included participation from Amaia Barredo, the Basque Government’s Minister for Food, Rural Development, Agriculture and Fisheries; Ramiro González, General Deputy of Álava; Elisa Ucar, Director of EDA Drinks & Wine Campus; Paz Simón, Chief Operating Officer at Basque Culinary Center; and Aizega himself. Together, they toured the various spaces where the campus’s activity will unfold: from the pilot plant designed for real production processes, to experimental laboratories, a versatile auditorium for sensory experiences, entrepreneurship spaces conceived as showrooms, and an experimental wine bar open to the public.
Amaia Barredo stressed that the commitment made to EDA is taking shape and moving forward. She described the campus as more than an infrastructure: a strategic investment in knowledge, talent and innovation to strengthen the region’s wine and agri‑food sector. She highlighted its role in generating knowledge, training future professionals, and boosting the international projection of Rioja Alavesa, Álava and Euskadi.
Ramiro González underlined that the campus is set to become a key element in the transformation of Rioja Alavesa. He noted that the project is increasingly close to becoming a reality and represents a strategic initiative capable of creating new opportunities, reinforcing the region’s positioning, and supporting the wine sector in facing its upcoming challenges.
Construction is progressing according to plan. With the building’s structure completed, work is now focused on the interior—installations, partitions and finishes—while exterior work includes the green roof and façade.
EDA Drinks & Wine Campus is conceived as a space rooted in the territory and its winemaking tradition, structured around five core pillars: training, entrepreneurship, wine bar, research and events. Covering approximately 3,300 square meters, it will include a pilot plant focused on winemaking, six entrepreneurship spaces, three classrooms/workshops, two laboratories (consolidated into two after technical evaluation), a sensory room, an auditorium and an experimental wine bar.
The pilot plant, following a learning‑by‑doing methodology, will allow students to carry out real cider and wine production processes. The two experimental laboratories will support analytical processes linked to training and practice. Classrooms and workshops are designed for diverse methodologies, while the sensory room will host tastings for both degree programs and lifelong learning. The auditorium will support initiatives aligned with the building’s philosophy, and the entrepreneurship spaces will function as showrooms. The wine bar, open to the public and conceived as a teaching workshop, will serve as a space for experimentation, practice and community engagement.
EDA Drinks & Wine Campus is one of Basque Culinary Center’s strategic projects, aligned with its mission to contribute to a delicious future through gastronomy, integrating wine and beverages as essential elements of culinary culture. In this context, the campus strengthens its role as a space designed to foster talent, excellence and the connection between academia and the productive sector, positioning itself as a reference in training, entrepreneurship and research with clear international projection.
The architectural project, titled “Mugarik Gabe,” was designed by the renowned studio Atelier Carvalho Araújo and executed by Construcciones Amenábar.