WTN: 2006 Ametzoi Getariako Txakolina

With tonight's dinner of cheese ravioli in pesto, assorted stir-fried veggies and a salad of cucumber, onion and sesame seeds in Japanese rice wine vinegar, I opened:

2006 Ametzoi Getariako Txakolina
color: pale with slight petillance
nose: very perfumed, white flowers, minerals, tropical fruit, grapefruit
palate: lightweight, petillant, acidic, citrus, stonefruit and minerals

This is a white wine made from the Hondarrabi Zuri grape in the Basque region of Spain. At 11% alcohol, it is not too far from Muscadet in mouthfeel, but with a flavor profile more closely approaching a
flamboyant NZ Sauvignon. In comparison to the '05, which we had last summer, this is a more perfumed and flamboyant wine, but also more acidic. Not a great match with the food, and almost too acidic for Jean's stomach, but a very fine wine and good QPR at $16.

Mark Lipton

Mark, this might be a bit simplistic, but it makes me wonder why a wine grown in as warm an area as Basque country would seem so underripe. 11% with such high acidity - that makes me ask whether they might be overcropping. Alternatively, maybe the grape is an extraordinarily late ripener? Just tossing about some possibilities.

Mark, this might be a bit simplistic, but it makes me wonder why a wine grown in as warm an area as Basque country would seem so underripe. 11% with such high acidity - that makes me ask whether they might be overcropping. Alternatively, maybe the grape is an extraordinarily late ripener? Just tossing about some possibilities.

Are you sure that it's as warm as you think? It's at higher latitude than you are, and at pretty high elevation for the most part, too.

Just my $0.02,
Mark Lipton

it is not too far from Muscadet in mouthfeel, but with a flavor profile more closely approaching a flamboyant NZ Sauvignon

I like that desription, Mark. I noticed some similarities with Muscadet also. The Txakolina has a little more CO2, and maybe higher acidity?

I wonder if they age or at least stay drinkable with age like Muscadet.

Thanks for posting the note.

Marc D

it is not too far from Muscadet in mouthfeel, but with a flavor profile more closely approaching a flamboyant NZ Sauvignon

I like that desription, Mark. I noticed some similarities with Muscadet also. The Txakolina has a little more CO2, and maybe higher acidity?

Yes on both counts.

I wonder if they age or at least stay drinkable with age like Muscadet.

I'll never know: synthetic cork.

Mark Lipton