Given that some of the Rioja are situated in the Basque region of Spain, it's a good idea to team the local wines with its native cuisine. Vasco in Nihonbashi serves up an excellent menu of both Spanish and Basque dishes cooked by Spanish chef Fernando Manito, who bakes delicious bread on site to accompany his exquisite dishes.
From the tapas menu (light bar snacks), we chose a dish of shrimp served in a garlic sauce (¥850), which were served sizzling hot on a metal plate. We also tried the ham and mushrooms in white wine (¥750), which was every bit as succulent as the shrimp.
The impressive wine list is exclusively Spanish and includes two red and one white Rioja, as well as wines from other famous regions of Spain such as Ribera del Duero and La Mancha. El Coto Crianza (¥3,500) is nice and soft on the palate with juicy blackcurrant notes, while the Marques de Gri-on (¥4,000) has strong oak flavors for those who prefer their wines a bit more heavyweight. Apart from the decent house wine (¥450 a glass), none of the wines come by the glass.