Txakolina: Your Summertime Wine Dream Come True
Alright, true story, my friends: Txakolina is my summertime wine dream come true. ☀️
You know when you’re in the mood for something refreshing because it’s so damn hot, but it’s early in the day and so you don’t wanna go straight cocktail, but a low abv spritz seems like waaaaay too much work and a beer will make you too full and you can’t even think about red wine and white just feels too flat and boring and full-on sparkling wine is just too much for the moment?
I know…first world problems, amirite? Well, I have the answer for you…
The best summertime wine is Txakolina!
Also seen as Txakoli—these are used interchangeably.
How do you pronounce it?
Ok, it looks complicated but it’s not really. The “tx” is pronounced as a “ch,” so you say “chock-oh-lee-nah” or “chock-oh-lee.”
Easy peasy. Just think: “The wine that sounds like chocolate,’' to help you remember.
And what is it exactly?
Txakolina, or more specifically, Getariako Txakolina, is a wine region in Basque country in northern Spain. The white wines are made from the native grape Hondurrabi Zuri and they are known for being a bit fizzy—like a better, more grown-up version of Vinho Verde.
What does Txakolina taste like?
Txakolinas are lower in alcohol (around 11%) and light and easy to drink. They always have a zingy, zippy acidity and a refreshing fizziness. Though they all vary slightly from each other, they usually have lots of minerality and are led by notes of lime or lemon zest, green apple, and herbs. I once had one that also tasted like blue raspberry Flintstone Push Ups…YUM! (Anyone remember those??)
There you go! And you thought the perfect summertime wine didn’t exist. 👏👏👏
Did I whet your Txakolina appetite? Want to know more? Like details about the region, how to pour Txakolina correctly, and what to pair it with? Download our Txakolina Guide Ebook and you can keep all this info in your back pocket, literally. 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)?