Basque Country: Txakoli and Seafood Tour

Txacoli, between sea and vineyards

Txakoli is a characteristic wine of the Basque Country and can be defined as a young, fresh, fruity and substantially acidic wine, as a consequence of the grape varieties used and the microclimate existing in the area. It’s a wine with its own personality and it’s one of the most traditional products of the Basque Country. Its origin and denomination are not clear although in the fourteenth century the first references appear. It is a wine made with vines mainly from the coastal area of the Basque Country. For centuries Bizkaia was a magnificent vineyard and its crops reached the entire coast. The prosperity in the cultivation of the grapevine continued until the middle of the s. XVIII in which the cultivation of cereals began to replace the vine, decreasing the production of Txakoli. The entry of phylloxera in the late nineteenth century was primarily responsible for the almost total disappearance of the crop. In the last two decades, it has begun to recover, resurfacing strongly again. The artisanal elaboration techniques have given way to more industrialized processes although there is still a great variability in the elaboration systems. The vines grow in soils protected by the north winds and always looking for areas of maximum sunshine to achieve the ripening of the grapes. The Txakoli is a wine of a moderate alcoholic graduation (between 9 and 11 degrees) corresponding to the Atlantic wines in line with the temperature and the degree of humidity in the area. As for its color, it will depend on the type of txakoli we are referring to, which may be: red, white or rosé. The grape varieties used are preferably native, which is Hondarrabi Zuri for white Txakoli and Hondarrabi Beltza for red wine, classified by the regulation as a preferred variety, although other varieties are also used. The Bizkaiko Txakolina designation of origin also includes in its regulation the Folle Blanche variety and produces all three types of wine while the Getariako Txakolina Designation of Origin stands out for the white Txakoli. Txakoli consumption is booming. It is an easy wine to drink in line with current trends of drinking light, fresh and fruity wines. It goes well with all kinds of seafood, starters and fish. It is a wine of the year so it is recommended to drink it in the year of its harvest. It is not a wine that is aged in the cellar.