2006 Ameztoi Getariako Txakolina Basque Region Spain. 11% alcohol. Asimov/Llyod bottle. Chambers Street Wine. $16.49. Imported by De Maison Selections, Chapel Hill, NC. http://demaisonselections.com/
Tall green Riesling bottle almost unreadable text but a very clear picture of Elcano; 90% Hondarribi Zuri and 10% Hondarribi Beltza. I remember this wine being poured by waiters from at least two feet above the glass to create quite a pretty head. [Didn't work for me tonight -- even though I hit the glass dead on.]
Pale yellow color with tiny bubbles, clear hue, pretty floral and apple aromas and tastes, mineral notes, slight fizziness, great acidity, short finish. Lovely with salmon roe from Alaska on toast. 3*+.
Regards, Bob
Notes:
K&L: The Ameztoi Txakolina is made from a blend of indigenous grape varietals Hondarribi Zuri and the red grape Hondarrib Beltza. Bright and fresh, this white wine is stainless steel fermented and has a little bit of spritz to give it some extra zip. This Txakolina is the ultimate wine for shellfish. Enjoy with a big bowl of mussels or a hefty plate of shrimp!
Importer:
Txakolina (Chakoli) is a white wine from the Basque country made predominantly with the indigenous grape variety Hondarribi Zurri. This crisp and slightly frizante style
has been a mainstay in the Basque region for nearly a millenium. Originally enjoyed only by Basque kings and aristocrats, today it is the most common drink found throughout the tapas bars. The widespread availability of txakolina is thanks in part to the first person to travel around the world: Juan Sebastian Elcano, whose return to Guetaria (Getariako in Basque) was celebrated with this local treasure. Today Juan Sebastian Elcano’s portrait adorns the label of Guetaria’s own Ameztoi Txakolina. Txakolina is simple, straight forward and perfectly suited to socializing and great tapas (preferably seafood).
Ameztoi Txakolina is one of the top producers of Getariako Txakolina. They own 20 hectares of vines in the best location. From the vineyards one can see the town of St. Sebastian and understand the influence of the Atlantic Ocean on this vineyard site. Ignacio Ameztoi is the seventh generation to carry on the tradition of making Txakolina in the province of Getaria. Made from the indigenous grape varieties of Hondarribi Zurri and its red companion Hondarribi Beltza. The wine is fermented in stainless steel and bottled with residual carbonic that gives the wine its natural spritz.
Juan Sebastián Elcano (Guetaria, Guipuzcoa, Kingdom of Castille, 1476 – Pacific Ocean, August 4, 1526) completed the first circumnavigation of the globe after Magellan was killed in the Phillipines by Lapu-Lapu's troops. Elcano won a coat of arms with the words "Primus circumdedisti me" ('You went around me first') and an annual pension, but died on his second attempt.
Florence Fabricant: txakolina is pronounced chack-o-LEE-nah
Asimov: "Seriously, I love Lyle’s choices. Txakolina, from the Spanish Basque country, is one of my absolute favorite kinds of wines for summer — light, refreshing, sometimes slightly effervescent...."
