If you enjoy a zesty, refreshing wine and are looking for something different to try, then look no further; Txakolina is what you need.
Hailing from the Basque Country in Northern Spain and sandwiched between the Atlantic Coast and the foothills of the Pyrenees, this was originally a home-made wine. Enjoyed by locals with Pintxo; a regional variation of tapas, but usually served on a skewer, it was only in the 1980s that Txakolina gained in popularity. Eventually in 1989, the Getaria appellation within the region, was awarded DO status.
A typical Txakolina wine is light and crisp in style, with flavours of green apples and tangy lime zest and a mouth-watering salinity enhanced by a steely mineral note. What I particularly love about this wine is its natural effervescence. A little residual carbon dioxide gives this wine a very subtle spritz, resulting in the perfect wine for sipping under the summer sun. Txakolina will usually be found in tall green bottles and is traditionally poured into the glass from a height to maintain the gentle bubbles in the wine.
I recently enjoyed a glass (or two!) of Ameztoi Txakolina. Produced in the fishing village of Getaria, not too far from San Sebastian, the Amextoi family have been producing wine here for seven generations. This wine pairs perfectly with seafood, especially prawns or oysters, and is perfect for sipping in the sun.
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