Basque country… the glory!
Marc here! Summer? Here? And what could be better than a trip to the Basque Country, in summer, or an approximation thereof, in the form of a glass-full of salty savory windblown gooseneck barnacle laden, apple cider and Txakolits? NOTHING!
I spent a day in the dark confines of a pinxos bar, downing a case of Txakolit with a couple of friends, a few years ago; and the visions this lovely liquid and food combination induced in my bleary brain, by the end of the night, rest with me now...Picture a tour bus full of hooded monks, exiting at a rest stop on the road back over the hill country outside San Sebastian in the fog at 4am, for coffee and plastic wrapped Omelettes Espagnioles.
These four offerings come through my friend, Jesse, from Kily Imports.
1. Sidreria Astiazaran, Barrika Sidra, Gipuzkoa Spain 2020 $16 The first of these, pictured above, and taking the bold part of the frame, is this traditional bottle of savory, salty wilderperson . . . DO YOU KNOW BASQUE CIDER?! If you don't, you should! YES YOU SHOULD (don't tell me what I should and shouldn't do, you might be saying to yourself) well, sometimes, an authority figure needs to step in and guide you, before you go down the road to fuckupville . . . and this is one of those, because if you don't know Basque Cider, you have been on the road to fuckupville, far too long and you need to correct your course. No exaggeration to say there is nothing like it! It's not sweet! It's dry! It's thirst quenching! AND it's good with a chunk of salted, grilled, flesh, be it dead cow or dead mushroom, or dead vegetable... just try it!
2 & 3. Lasalde Elkarte, Getariako Txakolina, 2021, Rosé or White $24 Two families who have farmed side by side for generations and have collaborated together over the years. This is a formal joint adventure for these two, who have been farming on the coast since the 1400s, where they joined together and were one of the original ten farms admitted into the Gettariako Txakolit appellation, when it was formed. There are now over 33 producers in the appellation. The white: 95% Hondarrabi Zuri, 5% Hondarrabi Beltza. The rosé: 60% Hondarrabi Zuri, 40% Hondarrabi Beltza. These are the two indiginous varietals of Txakolina. Sometimes, there are 100% pure Hondarrabi Beltza red wines available and when I get one, you will have it offered here! Not many around but worthy of your attention....kind of a peppery cabernet franc, or pineau d'aunis . . .(I digress). Here again is summertime in a bottle for you! Slightly effervescent, naturally, by going to bottle with just a bit of the fermentation left to bring it to completion; the result being this pettilant, pepper on the tongue! The rosé is a bit more luscious with watermelon and temon zest; both whtie and rosé reflect the fact that these grapes grow along the storm ridden, wind driven Atlantic coast. Sea spray in a bottle = sunshine in your glass.
4. Txakolindegi Ugabe, Bizkaiko Txakolina, Balea Unfiltered $28 80% Hondarrabi Zuri, 20% Petit Courbu, or (Hondaarrabi Zuri Zerratie in the Basque region)
Inland from the DO of Getaria, not far from Bilbao, lies this smaller, warmer DO of Bizkaiko Txakolina. Inland, hilly, and ultimately, longer sun exposure, lead to a riper style of Txakolit, (still bottled with a little spritz) Alcohol here is 12% versus 11% in Getariako...still low! Ugaitz Iturbe the 6th generation of this family, producing in the town of Artea, with 2 hectares planted to grapes! Pretty small and allowing Ugaitz to get in there! and pay attention to the vineyards. The unfiltered wine is not typical of the region, but a choice made by him to advance the texture and more generous mouth feel to the wine, hence the more golden hue, and slightly honied quality to this otherwise racy apple lemon zest!
There you have it!
Get in touch with me here: Cantina Sauvage
with orders, questions, comments!
4 bottles bring me to your door, in Seattle
6 bottles outside city limits
Much love,
Marc