BAIGORRI and EGUÍA

The wines of BAIGORRI come from a passion and love for unique lands, continuous research, and a deep understanding of the different terroirs. The entire process is carried out by gravity, vertically, to preserve the integrity of the grapes, which arrive whole for fermentation. All movements of grapes or wine are done by gravity, avoiding any mechanical pumping.

There is no reception hopper, and no pumps are used for transferring the grapes or for remontage, to prevent any damage to the fruit. From the selection tables to bottling, the process is carried out through the various underground facilities of the winery, optimizing every phase of production.

At Cafés EGUÍA, they offer two beverages that move the world: coffee and tea. They have been master coffee roasters since 1896 and take great care in providing the highest quality coffee, always using Arabica beans.

For over 30 years, they have been selecting and importing the finest teas from around the world.

“The wine-growing activity is part of our history. The winemaking process has evolved over time, but it has always remained an essential element of our culture”, explains Edurne Elejalde, Researcher in the Healthy Food Area at TECNALIA.

“At BODEGAS BAIGORRI, we have been innovating for years to make each stage of the winemaking process more efficient and sustainable”, says Simon Arina, Technical Director/Oenologist at Bodegas BAIGORRI, S.A.U.

However, this quest for continuous improvement today goes beyond the wine itself. Since the grapes enter the winery, a large amount of by-products are generated, containing compounds that, due to their health benefits, can be used in other sectors.

“In this collaboration, we wanted to develop new natural products from these by-products, but with the addition of one more agent”, comments Simon Arina.

“At CAFÉS EGUÍA, a company with a long tradition in the coffee industry, we asked ourselves the same question: could we innovate our products by incorporating the benefits of grapes?” says Iñigo Eguia, CEO of EGUÍA Foods, S.L.

This is how our collaboration between BAIGORRI, EGUÍA, and TECNALIA was born, with the goal of making the most of the beneficial properties of grapes by developing new products.

“We have studied different grape varieties and characterized the by-products generated during the winemaking process to develop new natural products, in our case, focused on sports nutrition. These products were later tested by both TECNALIA professionals and experts in the field”, says BAIGORRI.

“And, in our case, by combining the properties of the compounds present in the by-products generated during winemaking with the properties of coffee, we have created a new line of coffees with multiple health benefits, such as regulating body weight and improving the immune system, among others”, says EGUÍA.

• This project reinforces our concept of Open Innovation, a collaborative approach to R&D+i projects to multiply their impact. Together, we have developed an innovative solution with clear economic and social benefits.
• On one hand, we add value to the by-products generated during the winemaking process, contributing to environmental sustainability.
• On the other hand, we generate employment and expand our portfolio with new products that also contribute to the health and well-being of people.