It is gratifying that this once obscure wine should now be so popular; curious too that such a low-production, quirky style should now have proliferated into no fewer than 3 separate DOs - from its original heartland of Guetaria to Álava and Vizcaya too. These various areas now amount to just under 600 hectares of vineyards and its assorted offerings are certainly fragrant though often unduly sharp, invariably poured into tumblers from a certain height in the manner of cider.
It is, however, only the Chueca family's Txomin Etxaniz that truly impresses by virtue of rounding off the aggression of the primary Hondarribi Zuri (white) with 15% low alcohol free-run Hondarribi Beltza (black); and even Robert Parker appears to be a fan: 'The 2006 Txakoli is a blend of Hondarribi Zuri and Hondarribi Beltza raised in stainless steel. Light straw in color with green highlights, it offers up an excellent nose of slate/mineral, citrus, and green apple. Crisp and vibrant on the palate, it has excellent concentration and length. Drink it over the next 1-2 years with barnacles, oysters and clams. ' Ernesto is a happy man, continues to invest in more land (has just gone from 40 hectares to 52) and now unfortunately seems to run out of wine each May...
Meanwhile, having rejected the possibility of making a red Chacolí - one must after all do something new every generation or so - we are pleased to have a small amount of his very quietly released Birbirra 2005 or perhaps 2006... This is an impressively fine, absolutely bone dry traditional method fizz made entirely from Hondarribi Zuri. Production was 8 thousand litres, as it was also in 2006; but none was made in 2007, given the difficulties of the harvest. We urge you to exult; and if you're too late you'll just have to console yourselves with the 07 Txomin, which this time round has marvellous, lime-like zest and a hint of greengage.
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