I thought I would take the opportunity to tease the taste-buds of those attending our upcoming Spanish wine dinner and perhaps tempt those who have not made plans for the weekend to join us! My previous post talked about the culture and cuisine of Spain, so now let’s talk about one of the pairings we have put together: Ameztoi Getariako Txakolina with shrimp and Manchego cheese croquettes.
I think it is safe to say that most of us hesitate to try new wines from the old-world because let’s be honest: 1. It is hard to know what is going to be in the bottle without what sometimes feels like an Oxford education and 2. They are often pretty darn hard to say leading to what I lovingly refer to as “pointy-talky,” which is okay in a rustic shop buying one-of-a-kind trinkets, but perhaps not so nice in a restaurant with your date witnessing your stuttering charade. So let's get Txakoli 101 out of the way so you can confidently enjoy a bottle of this wonderful wine anytime.
Ameztoi is the producer of this wine. The winery owns 20 hectares (or roughly 50 acres for us Midwesterners) in the best of locations with a view of the town of San Sebastian and the Atlantic Ocean from the vineyards. It is often referred to as one of the top producers of Txakoli with a seventh generation winemaker, Ignacio Ameztoi, carrying on the family traditions.
Getariako Txakolina is the name of the D.O. (Denominacion de Origen,) which is part of a regulatory classification system denoting the highest quality wines within defined regions. These wines not only need to be of superior quality, but also typify the specific characteristics of region. Admittedly it takes a bit of time to learn the individual D.O.s throughout the various countries of the old-world, but it is well worth your time as you now can be sure that you will know precisely what you are buying. On the contrary, can you ever be completely sure what you will taste when you open a new-world Cabernet?
Getaria is located in the Basque region of Northeastern Spain near it’s border with France. The vineyards are located near the coast where they are protected from the spring frost and from the summer heat. The slopes are often very steeply terraced and the region receives the highest rainfall of all the Spanish wine regions.
Txakoli (CHA-koh-lee) is produced from the native grapes Hondarrabi Zuri (white) and Hondarrabi Beltza (red). The wine has a slight fizz similar to Italian frizzante wines, is low in alcohol, and has great acidity that is balanced by minerality. According to Anthony Bourdain of t.v.’s “No Reservations,” it is the tapas wine. In Basque eateries it is served fully chilled in tumblers and is often poured from great heights without missing a drop. I openly admit I tried this at home and failed quite miserably.
It is hard to imagine a more wonderful pairing than fresh seafood and cold white wine. The bracing acidity and fizzy bubbles of the Txakoli will cut right though the breading and cheese of the croquette while bringing out the slightly sweet taste of the shrimp. I am a big fan of simple, fresh wines that work effortlessly well with food and this one in my opinion is a must try!
Txakoli 101 complete. Next stop Rioja.
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