![]() White wine is the star of the region, made from Pansa Blanca, the regional name for Xarel.lo, the white grape traditionally used in Cava. The vineyards are a stone’s throw from the Mediterranean, on the Maresme coast, where mountains drop quickly to sea level, leaving small parcels of vineyards aerated by fresh, salty breezes. The DO Alella was one of the first in Spain – it was originally recognised in 1932 and officially registered in 1955 – and vines have been cultivated in the region since Roman times. Before you’ve even noticed, you’re in the midst of its criss-crossing main streets, dotted with bars and bakeries, nestled among grand villas built in the Catalan ‘Modernista’ style popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries – vestiges of a past when the area was populated by Barcelona’s summering wealthy. On a map, Alella could pass for just another square mile of Barcelona’s urban sprawl. Pop into El Antojo in Respaldiza for pintxos in the evening, or have a sit-down meal of grilled txuleta steak (beef from older cows with a higher-than-usual fat content), porcini scrambled eggs or other traditional Basque dishes from the menu. ![]() Be sure to reserve a lunch at Restaurante Bideko, a three-story Basque farmhouse in Lezama serving up classics such as salt cod in pil pil sauce (an emulsion made with salt cod gelatin, garlic, dried guindilla chilli and olive oil), tender roasted piquillo peppers and flaky battered hake. When in Basque Country, good eating is practically a given – and the Alava region is no exception. This traditional Basque farmhouse dates back to the 1400s and its five rooms belong to a different era, with their period furnishings and original wood-beamed ceilings. None of the small towns feels particularly wine-focused, so instead of basing yourself in one of the villages, seek out a beautiful baserri perched over the rolling green valleys, such as Caserío Iruaritz. Stone farmhouses, or baserri, are the beating hearts of Basque culture and of the DO, and some have been converted into B&Bs. Book a guided visit to walk around the vineyard with son-and-daughter duo Federico and Paz Verástegui before touring the stone tower’s grounds and tasting the family’s Txakoli Txikubin within its walls. This tower was built in 1272 and thanks to its tucked-away location, and the fact it’s stayed in the same family for 24 generations, it has remained in perfect condition. ![]() From his garage winery in the valley, he was one of the first winemakers to experiment with an aged Txakoli and has an ongoing roster of rarities such as skin-contact Txakoli, an ancestral-method sparkling wine, and even a peppery red Txakoli made with the rare local variety Hondarrabi Beltza and Cabernet Franc.įor Txakoli served with a side of history, Torre de Murga, just 10 minutes’ drive away, makes for a wonderful afternoon visit. Rancher-turned-winemaker Txema Gotxi is doing everything you’re ‘not supposed to’ with Hondarrabi Zuri Zerratia and some Riesling grapes grown in the hills outside Lezama. Concrete egg fermenters, employed to make as low-intervention a Txakoli as possible, are a rare sight indeed in the Txakoli world, as are the estate’s oak barrels – Astobiza has an eye for wines that will age, not a typical goal for this traditionally young table wine.Ī 30-minute drive south, Bat Gara is at the opposite end of the spectrum. The guided visits, available through the winery or the local tourism office, offer you the chance to stroll through the micro-parcels responsible for Abando’s hand-harvested single-vineyard Txakoli. Head for the town of Okondo to Bodegas Astobiza, where Xabier Abando continues a family tradition of growing Hondarrabi Zuri grapes with an eye to refined, over rustic, wines. March releases on the Place de Bordeaux 2023.September fine wine releases on La Place de Bordeaux 2023.
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