Zudugarai Txakolina Blanco

Zudugarai was founded 1989, the same year DO Getaria Txakolina was established. The Errasti family, for half a century, have been growing grapes and making wine from their vineyards, working with native Basque varieties Hondarrabi Zuri (White) & Hondarrabi Beltza (Red). The vineyards are located 5km from the Bay of Biscay, nestled among rolling hills at 90 meters above sea level. The sunniest and windiest slopes are planted with vines, allowing the grapes to ripen while remaining dry, helping avoid fungal and rot issues. All vineyard work is done by hand. Antxiola Blanco and Rosado are excellent examples of the area’s wines, perfect for pairing with local cuisine and increasingly enjoyed internationally. The wines reflect the unique coastal climate of Gipuzkoa, with their minerality and freshness. Quintessentially: juicy at the start, with a citrus middle and a distinctive salty finish.

Hondarribi Zuri, Hondarribi Beltza

90% Hondarribi Zuri and 10% Hondarribi Beltza

Good aromatic intensity, mainly with herb tones, green apple and citrus, where brewer’s yeast and pulp notes appear. Light and fresh. Long lasting finish, balanced and expressive mouthfeel.

Perfect with any kind of aperitif, fish, pasta, vegetables and many others.

Nolan - Text from the Spotlight on White Wines of Spain Blog

From the baked plateau of Castilla Y Leon, we return to the cooling breezes of the Spanish coast. This time we are on the North coast visiting the Basque region of Pais Vasco. This is the home of Txakolina/Txakoli, pronounced "Chac-o-lee". If you are ever planning to visit the Basque region, for destinations such as Bilbao or San Sebastian, just ask Sai from our bar team for some tips. He loves this part of Spain almost as much as he loves their wines…almost.

The grape plantings here hug the coast, with the vineyards of Rioja over the mountains to the South. Pais Vasco is a stunningly beautiful wine region though we are back to the wet Atlantic weather patterns and the high rainfall this ocean brings. The wine styles of Txakoli are in the brighter, fresher end of the spectrum. Often these wines are bottled with a light spritz, making them the ultimate summer thirst quenchers. Txakoli is perfect for the person who loves Vinho Verde but would like to try something new.

Hondarrabi Zuri and Hondarrabi Beltza are the main grapes grown here with the former being white and the latter being red. The majority of wines produced here, be they whites or roses, will contain a portion of both of these varietals.

Zudugarai was set up in 1989 by the Errasti family, this was the same year that their sub region of DO Getaria Txakolina was established. The vineyards are located 5km from the Bay of Biscay, nestled among rolling hills at 90 meters above sea level. The sunniest and windiest slopes are planted with vines, allowing the grapes to ripen while remaining dry, helping avoid fungal and rot issues. All the vineyard work is done by hand.

Zudugarai treat all the grapes very gently, only using temperature controlled stainless steel tanks for fermentation. The resulting wines are crisp and saline with apple and citrus blossom on the nose and even more juicy apple on the palate. In the Basque region, these wines are poured from a height to accentuate the fizz in the wines. Sea, sun and fish are what you want to pair with Txakoli.