2015 Inazio Urruzola Getariako Txakolina, Basque, Spain

Worthy of the World’s Top Wine Lists

Mariano Rodriguez only has time for exceptional wines.As the head sommelier of the San Sebastián 3-star Michelin restaurant Arzak — one of the top 50 restaurants in the world — the 2015 Gran Prix au Sommelier of the Year has a reputation to uphold, including his own. He proudly stakes both to the 2015 Inazio Urruzola Getariako Txakolina, placing it on Arzak’s illustrious wine list. As he puts it, he offers the label, “because it is a Txakoli that fits well with the food we do in this house.”If this instantly loveable, iminently glug-able, crisp, floral Txakolina is worthy of attention from one of the world’s greatest sommeliers, it’s certainly worth clearing space in your wine refrigerator — especially at such an excellent value. If you’ve never experienced Txakolina, this sublime selection at $16.99 is an exceptional starting point. 120 cases are available. Don’t wait — these won’t last long.

The founders of Inazio Urruzola ripped out their apple orchards centuries ago, replacing them with vines planted around 1,000 feet above sea level. The roots of the estate’s ensuing Basque winemaking tradition are strongly present in the 2015 Inazio Urruzola Getariako Txakolina. Estate blocks are farmed using old-school sustainable methods, and each of the wine’s Basque-indigenous Hondarribi Zuri grapes are hand-harvested after they’ve been sufficiently caressed by the region’s diurnal temperatures. This process results in a textbook Txakolina; a light-bodied expression of the Basque region driven by lively acidity and crisp, fresh fruit.

Foodies needing a break from San Sebastián’s Michelin star-studded scene can take a short drive from Arzak to Inazio Urruzola Getariako. They’ll step into Basque history in the process. The rustic hamlet that established the estate as an apple press in 1348 still stands, and its landscape has also been stewarded by the same family for 11 generations.

• ABV 11.00%
• Enjoy right away
• % Hondarribi Zuri
• Serving temperature – 43°