Produced by: Chueca family
Grape:85% Hondarrabi Zuri, 15% Hondarrabi Beltza
Region: Txakoli de Guetaria
At the smallest appellation in Spain (today about 85 hectares – 124 acres) the Chueca family has made Txomin Etxaniz the benchmark Txakoli (pronounce Tchacoelee) of the region. Building on the long family tradition, the newest generation also made a significant investments into modern techniques and a careful viticultural research.
Txakoli, an oddly named wine, is a typical of the Basque County, Cantabria and northern Burgos. The main characteristics are that the wine is usually slightly sparkling, very dry white, with high acidity and low alcohol content. It is meant to be drank young, and doesn’t age well.
The family owns has 35 hectares of protected, sloped vineyards in Getaria, planted with 85% Hondarribi Zuri (white grape) and 15% Hondarribi Beltza (red grape), in the pergola system. The hills planted which the vineyards create a special microclimate, a result of the good exposure to the sun, and the protection offered from the north winds.
Grapes for this wine were harvested by hand from vines, located on high hillsides falling away dramatically to the Atlantic Ocean. Some of the most beautiful locations for the winery I have seen, isn’t it? The pergola system helps to create ventilation for vines and grapes and reduce rot in this wet climate.
After the temperature-controlled fermentation in stainless steel tanks, the wine rests on its lees until bottling, so it carries in solution some of the carbonic result of fermentation. This wine is meant to be drunk young (maximum 1-2 after its release).
Tasting notes
This wine shows citrus aromas along with a crisp freshness of the ocean breeze. On the palate you are hit with high acidity and strong lemony or lime flavors.This is super dry, crisp wine that I enjoyed very much. Delicate sparks breaks on the tongue. Feeling almost a saltiness of the sea.
Funny that the family it selves recommends to drink their wine with salted anchovies and tuna in oil. I didn’t try that, but paired with tortilla potata and jamon (which is cured Spanish ham, also salty). It was an excellent!
Dry – Off dry- Medium sweet – Sweet
Light – Medium – Full body
No oak – Aged in oak Retail price: around $20.00
That September Wednesday was pouring rain when I was bringing all my stuff to the Spanish restaurant Costa del Sol. Great start, I thought. I specifically worried about carrying the beautiful map of Spain and not to get it wet. But somehow we managed and the first class could started.
We were still missing one couple – that came slightly later. They were trying to harvest their own grapes before the rain starts and came tired and upset. All that hard work whole year, and now this rain destroyed almost everything! What wasn’t taken care of by the weather, racoons finished. Oh well, they certainly could use to sit down and share some good wine!
Our first of total three Spanish wine classes started by talking a little bit about history of Spain and its wine making. Why the Spanish wine heritage goes back to at least 3,000 years, yet we really started to notice some Spanish production here in United States in the late 70-tees, beginning of 80-tees?
We talked briefly about the Spanish wine laws and requirements for D.O. (Denominacion de Origen), and what must and doesn’t have to be on the Spanish wine label. Much easier than perhaps in Bordeaux!
Did you know that Spain is the number 1 country in the world with the most land planted with vines? Before Italy and France? That there are only 2 D.O.C. so far registered throughout the Spain, but many new, exciting wine regions are being discovered recently?
After the introduction of the whole course, the slideshow was leading us through different native Spanish grape varieties, their specifics, about different types of soil, climates and conditions in which vines grow.
That brought us to the introduction of “liquid geography”. (I talked about it in more details at the first part of this blog).
(Stay tune if you are interested in tasting notes for each wine, I will be adding them as we go).
The very first wine we tasted was Txomin Extaniz Txakoli 2010, owned by the Chueca family. Txakoli. Probably some of the driest white wines I have tasted so far came from the smallest appellation on Spain, located at Getaria in the Bosque region.
Grapes for this wine grew on the high hillsides on top of the Atlantic Ocean. Great, quite unique, crisp white wine made from both white and red variety of Hondarrabi. Fun coincidence was that Mila, our server, came from that same region herself and Txakoli was her favorite wine!
From there, we took a sharp turn all the way to the west peak of the Spain, Rias Baixas, where the vines also grow on top of the Atlantic Ocean. This region is mostly famous for Albariños, and I have chosen La Caña Albariño (new project of Jorge Ordoñez in cooperation with local growers).
Oro de Castilla, spectacular Verdejo, introduced us to Rueda, a region between Toro and Ribera del Duero. Are white wines produced in Rioja? Absolutely! Although Rioja white wines make just 10% of total production, Muga Blanco represented a lovely blend of Viura and Malvasia from one of the most known regions of Spain.
Portal Blanco introduced us to the region of Terra Alta – on the eastern part of Spanish map. Terra Alta neighbors with another famous Spanish wine region, Priorat. This wine is made from Garnacha Blanca (I tasted this grape for the first time as well), Sauvignon Blanc, Macabeo and Viognier. Another successful white from our wine class portfolio.
From Terra Alta we “traveled” west to visit Madrid. Not the capitol, but the vineyards surrounding Madrid, that many Spaniards don’t even know about. Yet, it is a significant wine producing region with many valuable old Garnacha vines. We will later visit Madrid again for its red wines, this time we tasted Zestos Blanco, wine made from Spanish native grape variety Malvar.
To the south of Madrid is a region of La Mancha. Mainly internationally known for the story of the famous Spanish novel Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes. Although La Mancha is a windswept, battered plateau, with a very unusual sandy soils – it remains a symbol of the Spanish culture with its vineyards, sunflowers, mushrooms, oliveyards, windmills and Manchego cheese.
This large, flat region is comprised of five provinces. Highly agriculturally oriented, wine-production has been an essential part of life here for centuries; so much so that it is considered the largest vineyard on Earth.
I love red wines from La Mancha for their very distinguish characteristics that comes from its unique terroire. And yes, we will taste red wines from there in our other classes. But this time, we tasted Paso a Paso Verdejo, probably one of not many 100% Verdejo wines from this part of Spain. And, what is also interesting to note, probably one of the best priced Verdejo wine from all Spain.
To finish the line of white wines, we crowned it by a true jewel. It came from the Andalusian region of Spain, highly elevated vineyards overseeing hot Málaga. History of this beautiful city goes back 2,800 years, making it one of the oldest cities in the world. Not many people know that Málaga is a birthplace of famous Pablo Picasso, since he lived most of his productive life in France.n.
Photo: Jorge Ordonez & Co.
Botani, outstanding white wine (the only dry wine of the winery) is made from Moscadel De Alejandria, grape that is mainly used for production of raisins in this region.
This wine to me is one of the best miracles of winemaking – just like in Germany, where you can make delicious dry wines from sweet Riesling grapes. This project started in 2004 as a join venture between Jorge Ordoñez, one of the most prominent importers of Spanish wine into the US, and the late Alois Kracher, whose son Gerhard succeeded him as technical director in 2008.
One of Botani’s dessert wines (made by the traditional drying of the grapes) Jorge Ordoñez, No.3 Viñas Viejas 2006 just recently won the regional price for the Best organic wine in the world by Decanter magazine! 2010 was the first vintage made by New Zealand’s Oenologist Alistair Gardner, who was invited to this project to oversee the dry wine production.
Barco de Piedra, Photo: Friederike Paetzold
The first wine class was finished with the first 2 reds – coming from the region of Ribera del Duero. Both wines were made from Tempranillo (aka Tinto Fino), yet both had completely different character.
The grapes for Vizcarra Roble grew in predominantly sand, clay, limestone and gravel soil, while Barco de Piedra’s vineyard is located in slightly lower altitude, with the soil composed of river stones on top with limestone subsoil. Both wines spent a very limited time in the oak – to showcase their true fruit character.
The Spanish tapas, prepared by Costa del Sol’s chef Javier matched perfect our selected wines. Not a big fan of whites and still think that you didn’t miss much? Wait till we get to reds next week….
Bodegas Martín Códax, founded in 1985, is located in the historical town of Cambados in Pontevedra. Here, in the very heart of the Salnés Valley, is the home of the Albariño grape. Bodegas Martín Códax takes its name from a 13th-century local troubadour.
Bodegas Martín Códax is a cooperative of 285 members. Unusual in the area, Códax only uses its own estate grapes, rather than buying them from local growers. The winemaker, Luciano Amoedo Rodino, was also the founder of the “Rías Baixas” Denomination of Origin (appellation), and is an eminent wine professional.They produce three different brands of white wines – Códax, Burgáns and Organistrum – and uses 100% Albariño.
Catalan winemaker Miguel Torres claims that Albariño is a cousin of Riesling. He believes that it was brought over to Spain by German Pilgrims, making their way to Santiago de Compostela. The local regulatory council disagree, but what everyone agrees upon is that the grape is one of Spain’s noble varietals.
This wine is a modern style Albariño, fully fermented in stainless steel tanks, under controlled cold temperatures. That guarantees to preserve all of the aromas, flavors and freshness so typical of this variety.
What’s also good to know: this wine is meant to be drank fresh, so I would look for the freshest vintage 2009-2010.
Tasting notes:
Lovely aroma of fresh citrus, tropical fruits that reminds me of sweet summer breeze from the ocean. On the palate this light golden wine taste slightly off dry (although I was told in the wine store that it’s dry), yet crisp with enough acidity.
Nicely balanced, full of citrus, lime and white peach flavors. Definitely good value and excellent alternative to let’s say Pinot Grigio!
Dry – Off dry – Medium sweet – Sweet Light – Medium – Full body No oak – Aged in oak
Retail price: under $ 14.00
ilovevinoblog.com 