Winemaker Notes
Perfect as an aperitif, with any raw bar or shellfish, or with mild cheeses
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
There are two wines, the unoaked and very pale 2019 Uriondo, which is released early, fresh and young and a cuvée in American oak released two years after the harvest. This shy, fruit-driven and straightforward white was produced with 70% Ondarrabi (Zuri and Zerratia), 20% Mune Mahatsa (Folle Blanche) and 10% Txori Mahatsa (Sauvignon Blanc!). It's sharp and fresh, a wine to enjoy with food, and it has moderate alcohol and remarkable acidity that makes you salivate. It has a serious mouthfeel with a chalky feeling to it.
With hundreds of white grape varieties to choose from, winemakers have the freedom to create a virtually endless assortment of blended white wines. In many European regions, strict laws are in place determining the set of varieties that may be used in white wine blends, but in the New World, experimentation is permitted and encouraged. Blending can be utilized to enhance balance or create complexity, lending different layers of flavors and aromas. For example, a variety that creates a soft and full-bodied white wine blend, like Chardonnay, would do well combined with one that is more fragrant and naturally high in acidity. Sometimes small amounts of a particular variety are added to boost color or aromatics. Blending can take place before or after fermentation, with the latter, more popular option giving more control to the winemaker over the final qualities of the wine.
On the southern edge of the rocky Bay of Biscay in northern Spain, this is Basque country and home to the refreshing and slightly effervescent (usually) white wine, Txakoli. Three subregions compose the larger one: Getariako Txakolina, Bizkaiko Txakolina and Arabako Txakolina. While Hondarribi Zuri and Hondarrabi Beltza are the main grape varieties, other French varieties are scattered throughout the region.