Txakoli

Txakoli (pronounced [tʃakoˈli]) or chacolí (pronounced [tʃakoˈli]) is a slightly sparkling, very dry white wine with high acidity and low alcohol content produced in the Spanish Basque Country, Cantabria and northern Burgos in Spain.

[7] Until the 1980s, txakoli was a home-made wine, drunk in the Basque Country, Cantabria and Valle de Mena, and almost in danger of dying out towards the middle of the 19th century.

[8][9] However, since some varieties of txakoli in the Basque Country managed to achieve denominación de origen certification from 1989 onwards,[8][10] its quality, spread and appeal have increased.

This variety comes from a small region in Gipuzkoa around the towns of Getaria, Zarautz and Aia and is of a very pale yellow to green color.

Annually some 900,000 liters (240,000 U.S. gal) are produced in this area, mostly on south-east facing slopes to protect the vines from the harsh Atlantic weather.

In this system, the vines are cultivated at a greater height above the ground, with the foliage forming a contiguous canopy to improve the microclimate.

[11] In recent years, other towns in Gipuzkoa have also started producing txakoli under this DO certification, including Orio, Zumaia, Arrasate, Eibar, Mutriku, Deba, Zestoa, Hondarribia, Villabona, Urnieta, Oñati, Beizama, Zerain and Olaberria.

[11] It is grown on approximately 150 ha by 85 villages and towns throughout Biscay, producing some 700,000 liters (180,000 U.S. gal) of txakoli annually.

[11] The most commonly used grape for this txakoli is Hondarribi Zuria ("white Hondarribia") but other grapes are also permitted: Bordeleza Zuria (Folle Blanche), Izkiriota Ttipia (Petit Manseng), Izkiriota (Gros Manseng) and Courbu.

[11] Chacolí, in the original common French, Spanish and Basque spelling chacoli, was traditional also in the region of Cantabria until the end of the 19th century.

Great amounts of wine were consumed and exported from the 13th to the 19th century, produced in the comarca of Trasmiera, with villages including Colindres, Arnuero, Meruelo, Argoños and Noja as the main vineyards and production areas of chacolí.

It is also still produced in the Valle de Mena in the province of Burgos, included in the Castilla y León wine GI created in 2005, where efforts are being made to receive DO certification.