Txakoli - this is a wine

I discovered Txakoli on a recent trip to Spain's Basque country. Pronounced "cha-ko-lee," it's a refreshing, slightly sparkling wine made from native grapes in northern Spain. I visited the winery Txomin Etxaniz in the coastal Basque town of Getaria at the recommendation of a friend. Perched high in the hills, the views are amazing. We had a private tour and tasting with the young Aitor, son of the winemaker. Txomin is a family winery that has been traced all the way back to 1649. In 1989 they played a leading role in establishing the quality designation Denomination of Origin "Getariako Txakolina." In European countries wine is regulated by quality standards set by the government. Regulations may include the type of grapes allowed in specified regions made by certain winemaking techniques.  In order for Txakoli to carry the Denomination de Origin "Getariako Txakolina," it must be made from the native grapes Hondarrabi Zuri (white) and Hondarrabi Beltza (red) in Getaria. Each bottle carries a quality designation sticker like this:

The vineyards are trellised about 6 feet above the ground, forming a canopy that is really fun to walk under. It allows constant air flow beneath the vines, preventing mold and diseases from festering in the humid climate so close to the sea. Harvest usually occurs in October, and the grapes at Txomin are cooled before they are pressed. Fermentation is temperature controlled and the wine remains on its lees (dead yeast cells) for its entire life in the tank before bottling. Before fermentation is complete, the tank is closed off to allow some of the resultant carbon dioxide from the fermentation process to be trapped in the wine - this provides the light effervescence that Txakoli is known for. Cold stabilization precipitates out the tartrate crystals (from the high acidity) and then the wine is ready for bottling. Aitor described it as a "young wine," one that is meant for consumption within 1-2 years. Alcohol level is usually around 10-11%. 

Txakoli is a crisp wine that goes great with the local fish and seafood. At Txomin Etxaniz, Aitor served us a healthy sample of the wine alongside anchovies prepared in their kitchen. Then we went to the Getaria marina for lunch and had a bottle with Turbot, a delicious white fish.

To enjoy later on our trip, we got a bottle of their sparkling wine, which is made in the traditional Champagne method. Fittingly, we enjoyed that with some Basque cheese and baguette on the French side of Basque Country (in the beach town of Hendaye).

Continuing our trip around Basque country, I found that Txakoli went great with the pintxos (tapas) that we enjoyed in San Sebastian as we bar-hopped our way through dinner. And at 2 euros a glass, it was ok to try one at at each place.

Gracias, Aitor, for introducing us to this wine!