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Bodegas Arabako Txakolina
D O Txakoli de Alava

 

Xarmant Txakoli 2016 White


“Txakoli”,the Basque term for 'Chacoli', is a special dry white wine of generally high acidity and low alcohol with a characteristic natural spritz finish produced from the Hondarribi Zuri grape grown only on the northern coast of Spain. The Hondarribi Zuri is considered to be the best variety for Txakoli thanks to its organoleptic qualities and its ability to adapt to the environmental conditions of the area. The vineyards producing this grape are all quite small and the wine is made in miniscule quantities in three neighbouring denominations. Denomination Txakoli de Getaria, Getariako Txakolina, the largest of the three regions, with 200 hectares of Txakoli vines, is located west of San Sebastián. Denomination Txakoli de Bizkaia, Bizkaiko Txakolina has 120 hectares of Txakoli vines and is located around the city of Bilbao. The newest and smallest region of the three, D O Txakoli de Alava, Arabako Txakolina, with 60 hectares under vine, was designated D O status by the Basque government in 2003 and is located further inland than the others.

All the txakolis are refreshing and dry. They are sold within the year, mainly to neighbouring regions and a few parcels to specialist shops around Spain. The coastal wines (DO Txakoli de Getaria) have a characteristic chalky minerality that is both refreshing and has a very distinctive taste. The wines from the inland vineyards (DO Txakoli de Bizkaia and DO Txakoli de Alava) show apricot and peach flavours that moderate the minerality of the wine.

Bodegas Arabako Txakolina, which has the same name as its denomination, Arabako Txakolina, produces 95% of the total production from this DO. It was established in 1997 by a small group of 12 growers based in Amurrio who decided to pool their resources and establish the denomination. Situated in the foothills of the Salvada mountains, in the Basque region of Txakoli de Alava, the vineyard lies in a valley that faces the Atlantic Ocean. At an elevation of 350 metres on the border of Castilla y Leon, the proximity to the Atlantic creates an area with a unique microclimate.The local indigenous varieties are used, Hondarribi Zuri (“Zuri” meaning white) and Hondarribi Beltza (“Beltza” meaning red). Adequate hours of sunshine and moderate rainfall give the grape proof of around 11%, providing it escapes the much feared spring frosts which threaten all the plantations located at the foot of the Salvada mountain range.

Bodegas Arabako Txakolina is owned and managed by two brothers Fernando and Mariano Alava, the latter being the winemaker of Xarmant Txakoli. Viticultural techniques have been greatly improved with the introduction of trellises to assist the ripening of the grapes. Phytosanitary treatments have also been implemented and a systematic method established to monitor maturing processes. Thanks to the gradual introduction of modern equipment - pneumatic presses, stainless steel vats, cooling equipment and amicrobic filtering equipment - the oenological techniques and the optimum conditions have been achieved to allow the production of a high quality Txakoli wine.

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