WTN: 2004 Amestoi Txakoli, Getariako Txakolina
Ah, Txakoli. I first discovered this refreshing wine in a class I took a few years back, and I fell in love (long before Saveur included it in the Saveur 100). You'll convince any sommelier or wine store clerk that you're an expert when you order this very slightly effervescent white—I've never seen the reds—from the Basque country on Spain's northern coast. Many of the best wine stores in the Bay Area stock a decent number of bottles, but the staff always seems surprised when I buy some.
Just make sure to pronounce it correctly (Chock-o-lee), and you'll be all set. This crisp wine loves shellfish and light summer fare: I often serve it with steamed mussels. It's not typically a complex wine, just a refreshing drink to enjoy on a hot summer day.
There's not a lot of information about the region (which is called Txakolina), but Tom Stevenson's New Sotheby's Wine Encyclopedia says that it comprises two subregions: Getariako Txakolina and Bizkaiko Txakolina (the Spanish spellings are Chacoli de Guetaria and Chacoli di Vizcaya, respectively).
I've only seen Getariako Txakolina here, and usually it's from a single producer, Txomin Etxaniz. But while shopping at Vintage Berkeley, I spotted a 2004 Getariako Txakoli from Amestoi. I eagerly bought two bottles at $15 each. It lacked the characteristic effervescence (at least in our wine glasses), but offered up aromas of crisp apples with suggestions of cinnamon. There was a little yeastiness; perhaps the wine spends some time on the lees. The typical minerality of these wines appeared in the finish, after the subtle orange peel flavors and vibrant acidity had faded somewhat. It went charmingly with the steamed mussels I made.
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