Here’s a brief post on a new wine selection now available at ABCFWS:  Rezabal Txakoli ($18.99). 

Txakoli (pronounced ‘cha-ko-lee’) is the preeminent wine of the Basque region of Northern Spain.  It’s a dry white that’s light, crisp, and minerally with lemony citrus and green apple on the palate.  It has a little spritz and a zesty salinity to it, not unlike a top notch Portuguese Vinho Verde.  Perhaps I’m a bit biased, but I think good Txakoli has Vinho Verde beat in the “wow” category. 

Made with the local Hondarrabi Zuri and Hondarrabi Beltza grapes, it’s traditionally poured as an aperitif in the tapas bars around towns like San Sebastian and Bilbao where it’s the perfect match for the local tapas, called pinchos.  Ideally, it should be served with shellfish like shrimp or white anchovies, but will also pair nicely with grilled sole or baked chicken.  I first experienced Txakoli a few years back at a restaurant in Bilbao, around the corner from the Guggenheim Museum.  Served well-chilled, with razor clams and mussels, it was a revelation!

Pouring Txakoli the Basque way takes a bit of skill and some showmanship.  The bottle is held high above the glass and then poured in a thin stream in order to “break” the wine, maximizing the bubbly effervescence Txakoli is noted for.

Rezabal Txakoli comes from the Getariako Txakolina DO and is made with 100% Hondarrabi Zuri from a single vineyard estate owned by the Rezabal family. 

Jim Greeley, Wine Supervisor, SW Florida