Talai Berri Finca Jakue Blanco Getariako Txakolina 2023

Fourth-generation winemaker Bixente Eizaguirre founded Talai Berri in 1992 as the first winery to focus exclusively on the production of Txakoli wines. As an advocate for the initiative to create the official Getariako Txakolina designation, Bixente designed his winery facilities to meet the requirements for the DO (Denominación de Origen) perfectly and was at the forefront of groundbreaking techniques in Getariako, such as the use of pneumatic presses, temperature control, and inclusion of a lab within the winery to monitor production stages. His daughters, Itziar and Onditz, are continuing his legacy of innovation in their leadership in the vineyards by implementing organic practices on their 12 hectares of vineyards and pioneering red wines in the DO. The thoughtful approach of these fifth-generation winemakers shows in the selection of refined and impeccable wines.

Getariako Txakolina is one of three DOs for Txakoli wines and was the first one established in 1989. Hondarrabi Zuri is the classic white varietal in Getariako Txakolina, comprising more than 95% of the vines planted, with powerful aromatics that hint at tropical, citrus, and floral notes, as well as remarkable acidity. While the grape can be blended with others, such as Gros Manseng, Riesling, and Chardonnay, the DO standards require a minimum of 80% Hondarrabi Zuri to meet the designation. Traditionally vinted to drink young, Txakoli wines go down easily because they are low in alcohol and a touch effervescent. The slight bubbliness keeps the palate fresh, making them a fantastic pairing with pintxos, tapas, and the local seafood common to Basque Country.

The 2023 Finca Jakue comes from the most treasured parcel on the Talai Berri estate. The terraced vines face south at the peaks of the hillsides, looking down along the famous Camino de Santiago de Compostela. Indigenous yeast kicks off the fermentation in stainless steel vats, where the wine remains for the aging period. While resting, the wine undergoes daily bâtonnage, a process where the lees are gently agitated by stirring to bring the settled solids in contact with the wine. That bâtonnage imparted a weighted, rounded texture on the palate that matches the inherent acidity and delightful spritziness. Lychee, lime zest, and peony aromas fill the nose with a slight touch of salinity, certainly from the nearby ocean breezes.