Andres Iniesta Is Boosting His Covid-Struck Family Winery From Japan


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Dotted across Andres Iniesta’s career timeline are tournament wins with Spain, multiple trophies with Barcelona and a stint in Japan with Vissel Kobe, where he currently plays.

But wherever soccer has taken him, all roads lead to one place: Fuentealbilla, a small village in the Spanish region of Castilla la Mancha. It’s where he first kicked a ball and—even from his Asian base—owns his family wine business, Bodega Iniesta.

The company was established by Iniesta’s father, Jose Antonio, during the 1990s. In Fuentealbilla, most families have vineyards and are economically dependent on wineries in one way or another, meaning the pandemic has taken its toll.

Foreign exports and wine tourism have reduced significantly. For Bodega Iniesta, however, their global superstar’s presence has somewhat softened the blow.

“To have a figure like Andres connected to the company offers us a unique opportunity to reach many people and to give visibility and projection for our products,” said Maria Angeles Gomez from the company’s communication and marketing department.

After 16 illustrious seasons at the Camp Nou, Iniesta moved to Japan in 2018. He has, however, remained involved in matters back home.

Indeed, soccer has not distanced him from his roots. Fewer than 2,000 people live in Fuentealbilla, and many of them know the humble 36-year-old personally and keep in touch.

The winery has benefitted from his presence this last year. July 2020 marked ten years since Spain’s first World Cup triumph—sealed by Iniesta against the Netherlands—and the company’s start of production. It was a fruitful occasion.

“We were, for some weeks, reunited with him by Zoom,” recalls Angeles Gomez.

“Andres recorded a video of the games that took us to victory, telling us his experience of playing every match. The project promoted our Minuto 116 wine to honor the minute Andres scored the final-winning goal.

“He was very involved in our campaign, and it was interesting for us to hear what happened first-hand and how he lived those days on the pitch.” 

The Spaniard’s impact comes when many smaller Spanish communities, such as Fuentealbilla, are starkly underpopulated compared to cities; the magnets of opportunity for young people, especially. Iniesta’s soccer abilities were first witnessed by many at Albacete—the closest town club to Fuentealbilla—before he arrived at much bigger Barcelona to join the famous La Masia academy.

Nowadays, he remains just as much a local name as a national one and even once saved Albacete from administrative relegation to the third tier when they faced financial trouble, as reported by El Pais (Spanish) at the time. More recently, he donated beds and sanitary equipment to Albacete hospitals when materials became scarce last year.

Such philanthropy is hardly surprising when one considers Iniesta’s reach. What is noteworthy, though, is his effect on a business in which he has a genuine affinity. It makes him somewhat distinct.

He’s not one to watch on from the sidelines and stays in regular contact with the Bodega over marketing strategies. To his colleagues and village, he is always nearby, despite living so far away.

“For the people of Fuentealbilla, it’s an honor to have Andres as a neighbor,” the company added.

“It’s a small village, and many of the people here are family or close friends of his. He has never forgotten his origins and has no problem in saying he is the one from Fuentealbilla.”

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