TolHouse Members and Member-guests are invited to join us for an exclusive food and wine tasting featuring wines from two Spanish vineyards, Bodegas Viyuela and Reina de Castilla Wines. We’ll be joined by representatives of the vineyards, Santiago Etcheverry and Rafael Nava.

————————-

Santiago Etcheverry, Export Manager Coto Pelayo, Bodegas Viyuela & Reina de Castilla
Santiago was born and raised in Uruguay where he majored in International Trade. One can say that Santiago was born into the business, his family owns vineyards and a winery in Uruguay, where he learned about the business from an early age while working under his father’s guidance. He moved to Spain lured by his interest in Spanish wines, and to further his knowledge of the commercial and international trade side of the industry. He now calls Madrid home, and as Export Manager for Coto Pelayo and its group of wineries is responsible for increasing the international market share for Bodegas Viyuela, Reina de Castilla, and others represented by Coto Pelayo.

Rafael (Rafa) Nava, COO – Founder of Terroir Connections,
A Venezuelan New Yorker, Rafa has +30 year of experience in business development, marketing, and sales for top global corporations in Venezuela, USA, Mexico, and collaborations in other Latin American and Caribbean countries. For the last 15 years, he has been 100% dedicated to developing business in the Beverage Alcohol industry, importing, distributing and contract manufacturing wines and spirits. Growing up as a Venezuelan Foreign Service Brat, cooking, entertaining and the fortune of being exposed to different cultures, drinks and foods became a fundamental part of his life. He trained in wines and spirits in Venezuela’s ASI academy, is a member of the Stave & Thief Society, a certified Bourbon steward, and is pursuing advanced WSET certification in spirits, wines, and sake. He lives in Tampa, FL, and has an okay collection of mostly opened bottles of spirits, and a few unopened wines waiting to be enjoyed, loves the gulf coast lifestyle but not so much Florida’s August heat.

Bodegas Viyuela, Ribera del Duero, Spain
1946, the sun is falling in Boada de Roa, and Gabriela Viyuela holds a bunch of grapes in her hands, she does not know that was just the beginning of a dream that would occupy her life: To leave her imprint on Ribera‘s history, transmitting her passion for wine and its land to her descendants. Our vineyards are located at an altitude of 812 MSL in the best area of the Ribera del Duero with great exposure to the sun, and a mix of soils difficult to be found in other wine regions. Bodega Viyuela’s dream is to let consumers feel the love that we give to the complete process every day and share your good times with our wines.

Reina de Castilla, Rueda, Spain
Reina de Castilla Winery represents centuries of history and the wisdom and experience of entire generations of Castellano growers and winemakers in Villa La Seca, where small and large family-owned vineyards, have joined in a cooperative inspired by the admirable entrepreneurship character of the most innovative Castillian women of their time. Urraca I, Beatriz de Portugal, Isabel la Católica and her daughter, Juana I de Castilla promoted the expansion of Castilla, the discovery of new worlds, and forever changed the history of these lands. This rich history and pride are what drives the Cooperative Reina de Castilla winery.