Two years ago I sent the importer (okay, it's José Pastor) a photograph of a wine I fell for. It wasn't like most of the crap Txakolina that is available in this country (even the hip stuff--even that rosé, which frankly, I find a little toxic).
He said, hey! I'm bringing it in.
Two years, José? Well better late than never.
It's a wine pared down. Apple skin and lemon pith --and subtle complexity so it's not a one-noter. It didn't make me sweat from the sulfur like most of the summer of rieslings do.
Bengoetxe.
Currently this winery is only organic operation left in the area of spoof and more spoof. Where chemical agriculture, super S02, added yeasts, deacidification and added C02 reign.
The owners, Iñaki and Rosa Mari Exteberria ran his family's dairy farm. But in 2001 they laid down 3.8h of vines on their farm, 45 miles south west of San Sebastián. They were organic from the start. The grapes?95% Hondarribi Zuri and 5% Gros Manseng.
Most of the areas producers are clustered near the coast, yet they are inland, on heavy clay soil. As a result had to fight to be granted DO status, a fight he won when he proved historically the wine was was made there.
Taste? Go down the muscadet road but go to a Protestant church in the Hebrides. I'm not religious, but this could turn me into one of them. This is the real deal. 11.5%. The fizz might be a little more gentle than you'd expect, but that's because any trapped co2 here is natural.
About $19. Too expensive. Should be $8, but the world isn't like that anymore. So, I'll pay.
The label says it all.
Sounds like a must try in this heat. Do you know where it is available in NYC?
Posted by: Wcrispell | 07/18/2012 at 11:02 AM
Just coming into stores now. Possibly Chambers.
Posted by: Alicefeiring | 07/18/2012 at 11:06 AM
Love your label notes!
Posted by: Hardy Wallace | 07/20/2012 at 05:36 PM