The "Other" Txakolinas
This post is assuming you’ve read the basics of Txakolina and downloaded our Txakolina Guide Ebook with all the details you need to drink, pour, and pair Txakolina like a pro. Don’t have the guide? Get it below ⬇️
So now that you’re a Txakolina expert, I'm gonna take you to the next level. This is advanced stuff, so get ready. Put on your learning hats.
The Txakolinas we’ve been talking about the last fews weeks (those zippy, slightly effervescent versions) are mostly from a subregion called Getariako Txakolina, just west of San Sebastian on the northern Atlantic Coast of Spain. ⬇️
If you travel a little further west to the city of Bilbao, you hit another Txakolina subregion called Bizkaiko Txakolina.
Most of the wines here are *not* effervescent and zingy like their party-time neighbors. These are more serious whites that have often been aged on their lees (dead yeast). They have texture and body, while at the same time, still displaying the green acidity and notable salinity you’ve (I’m sure) grown to love in the fizzy versions.
It’s like Getariako Txakolina graduated college, had a few kids, and mellowed out a bit. Same fun person, just a little more prim and proper and more experience, i.e. complexity, under her belt.
That being said, there are always exceptions, (I know, it's annoying). The rule of thumb when distinguishing between the fizzy versions and the more serious versions is the shape of the bottle:
The fizzy versions will be in this Riesling-esque shaped bottle (left) and the more grown-up versions will be in the Bordeaux-esque shaped bottle (right).
Alright, that’s enough for today. Keep exploring Txakolina! (There are reds, too, but we'll save that for another day.) Your love will never end, I swear.
Have you tried a Txakolina yet? Did you like it? Give us your thoughts in the comments!
Still need that Txakolina Guide Ebook with all the details you need to drink, pour, and pair Txakolina like a pro. Get it below! ⬇️
The two grapes that really steal the show in your Bordeaux reds are Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. There’s a big difference in style between the two. So, how do they taste different, and how do you know which one you’re getting (cause it won’t say on the label)?