Aritza in Beaver Creek channels the spirit of Spain

While Mediterranean flavors are popular in Beaver Creek, the village got its first Spanish wine bar this winter. Taking over the spot under the Dusty Boot in the Saint James, Aritza channels the spirit of Spain, starting at 3 p.m. for après and continuing through until dinner.

“You walk in and it’s a cellar feeling, with low ceilings and the brick showing.” Executive Chef Frank Blea said. “The side of the banquette is orange — it feels like a little place in Spain.”

The tiny kitchen is visible from the dining area, and guests can look in and see a map of Spain on the kitchen’s tile walls. Peppers, candies and other Spanish items adorn the walls.

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Part of Chef Blea’s family tree goes back to Northern Spain, and one of his mentors, Ryan Taylor, staged in the Basque town of San Sebastian, absorbing the techniques of the area.

Aritza is Spanish for oak, a reference to the oak casks used for aging wine. The well-curated wine list celebrates several of Spain’s regions, where wine is less a libation and more a lifestyle. But the elixirs don’t end with vino. Aritza will have a large selection of gin and tonics, “the most popular cocktail of Spain.”

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As befits its mission, the soul of the menu is the jamón Ibérico, Black label ham from acorn-fed Ibérico pigs — shaved paper thin.

“We’ll be slicing it to order in the dining room, just like you would in Spain,” he said. “We have this little Ferrari of a machine, behind plexiglass so it’s exposed.”

The jamón and a variety of chorizo and other charcuterie are only part of the noshing options.

“We’ve got Idiazabal sheep’s milk cheese,” he said. “It’s their most popular cheese product in Spain. And since it’s in my blood I have to put my best foot forward. In my mind, my imagination, my blood, I’m trying to bring the most out of what Spain is to me.”

And so that means Spanish olives stuffed with anchovies for a quick bite, octopus carpaccio, short rib piperrada and more. The queso fundido is an interactive Mexican-forward dish that subs in Spain’s dried chorizo for Mexico’s fresh sausage.

“Queso fundido is fun and exciting, it will cater to the families that bring their kids in,” Chef Blea said.

While the queso fundido includes his own twist, the toasts, from the menu’s pinxos section, are traditional — topped with bright, bold and sometimes briny flavors. Options at Aritza include tomato and eggplant, pepper and anchovies, and fried calamari and cherry peppers. They are all designed to give pleasure, a bit of sustenance, and inspire a bit more liquid refreshment. And ask about the special off-menu offerings. You never know what you’ll find.