The award ceremony took place last Saturday, June 17th, in the Isabelline Cloisters of the Culture, Sports and Youth Department, in the presence of the regional Government, as well as representatives of the parliamentary formations, authorities and mayors of the Community of Navarra.

The President of the Government of Navarra, Uxue Barkos, was in charge of giving the award to the seven chosen, thanking them for their “entrepreneurial, responsible and pioneering spirit”, as well as their “generosity and compromise with Navarra”.

Among the awarded, besides Javier Ochoa, we find the investigator and professor Humberto Bustince, the sculptor and ethnographer Joxé Ulibarrena, the journalist Mirentxu Purroy, the pelota player Julián Retegi, DYA Navarra and the Aralar Mendi Elkartea Association, organizer of the Artzai Eguna.

About Javier Ochoa, the President highlighted “his perseverance in making use of his knowledge and experience in the field of oenology”. A “pioneer in discovering the many possibilities of Navarra’s wine, through science and technique” and “who has made a great effort from the public sphere and from his own winery, applying the investigation and technological development to an essential field of the agro alimentary industry in Navarra”.

For his part, Javier Ochoa received the Cross visibly touched, dedicating the distinction to his wife and daughters, who put their body and soul into wine elaboration, and he wanted to add that “my life has been always connected to Navarre’s wine. I can say we have some great wines but we have to continue to work on them, especially on marketing and sales”.

Javier ended his speech, as could not be otherwise, with a smile of satisfaction, proud and thankful, and toasting with a wine from Navarra.