Txakoli Trio

Case of 6 bottles

One of the most popular white wines in the portfolio this summer has been Txakoli (chak-oh-lee), made from the grape Hondarribi-Zuri (pronounced on-dar-ee-bee zoo-ree), indigenous to the Basque region of northern Spain.

Txakoil is known for its citrus and stone fruit aromas, notes of minerality, and dry, refreshing acidity. Delicious paired with appetizers (pintxo), Sushi, fish and seafood, but also very nice just on its own. 

We have three Txakoli white wines in the portfolio currently, in a range of styles, going from lightest to fullest:  Bidaia, Itsasmendi, and Katalin. Itsasmendi Txakoli is typical of the DO Bizkaiko style (of Bilbao), which is different than the other two of the DO Getariako style (of San Sebastián). The Bizkaiko style is more typical of a still, white wine while the Getariako style typically has a slight carbonic fizz and are served at height in Pintxo bars using a Porrón. Nice show if you have the device, and don't mind a messy floor, but you can style enjoy the wine without one. 

Want to try all three and pick your favourite? For a limited time, here’s a mixed case 6-pack of two bottles each of the three wines. And like all our mixed packs, these wine are also available to purchase by-the-case through this Web site, where you can also read more information about the producer and each wine. 

Wine #1 Latido de Sara, 2022 Bidaia Txakolina Getariako DOC

Made from a blend of 80% Hondarribi Zuri, 15% Gros Manseng, and 5% Petit Courbu grapes, hand-picked from Pergola-trained vines, grown on hillside slopes at an altitude of about 350 metres, about 8km from the Cantabrian Sea. Yields are low and farming is sustainable.

The grapes receive a pre-fermentation chill after harvest, then transferred to temperature-controlled, stainless-steel tanks where each variety and plot is fermented separately. The juice remains on the lees for about two weeks, and when fermentation is complete the wine is cold stabilized and lightly filtered. Alc./vol.: 10.8%. R.S. 2.8gr/L.

Tasting note: Pale yellow colour with green tinges. Aromas and flavours of fresh citrus and apricot with slight mineral/floral notes. Light-bodied, dry, fresh and crisp, with a good balance between the fruit and the acidity. Slight mineral zippiness, typical of the regional style.

Wine #2 Itsasmendi, 2021 Itsasmendi Txakoli Bizkaiko DOC

The grapes (Hondarribi Zuri and Hondarribi Zuri Zerratie) for this wine are grown on south-facing hillside soils at an average height of 50-200 metres above sea level, with a distinctly Atlantic climate. Sourced from 18 different plots, grown sustainably.

Fermentation took place in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks to retain the fresh aromatics of the grape, and the wine is aged in stainless steel (off the lees) until bottling in the spring. The wine did not undergo malolactic fermentation. Alc./vol. 13% R.S. <2 gr/L.

Tasting Note: Bright, lemon yellow in colour. Fresh citrus aromas of lemon, lime, and Mandarin orange with delicate floral and mineral notes. Crisp and fresh on the palate, bright acidity, and a dry, lingering, clean finish.

Wine #3 Jokin Aranzábal Harreguy, 2021 Txakoli Katalin Iturzaeta Getariako DOC

Made from 85% Hondarribi-Zuri and 15% of the dark-skinned Hondarribi variety called Beltza, vinified as a white grape (i.e. no skin contact). The grapes are grown on south-facing slopes of Aitako, at a height of 60 metres above sea level, just a few kilometres from the Cantabrian Sea. Three-quarters of the vines are over 100 years old, while the rest at over 30 years old. 

Fermentation took place in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks to retain the intense, fresh aromatics of the grape, and the wine is aged in stainless steel, on the lees, for 7-8 months before bottling. The wine did not undergo malolactic fermentation. Alc./vol. 11.5%; R.S. ~ 2gr/L

Our Tasting Note: Straw yellow colour. Complex, tropical aromas of yellow apple, lime zest, orange peel, and grapefruit, with herbal/floral/quince and stony/mineral notes.  Medium palate, zesty acidity (slight prickle), and a dry, lingering, clean finish.