Review: Txacolina Bodega Aizpurua Basque Sparkling White Wine

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I have to admit that I struggle to pronounce the name of this Sparkling Dry White Wine, Txaicolina Aizpurua, which comes from the cool and windy Basque Country in the North-West of Spain. Pronounced “chacoli”, this wine is described as fresh with aromas of green apple, citrus and mint. With a low alcohol content, it is lightweight and slightly sparkling.

Started in 1834 by Miguel Aizpurua, Bodega Aizpurua is the oldest winery in the region, it is owned and worked by the same fourth-generation family since being established. Miguel Aizpurua decided to produce wine in small quantities at top quality.

Txacolina 2018 stats:

As with my previous tasting I recruited my sister Nikki and friend Iggy to help me review the wine. The Txacolina is a pale white colour with a touch of green with sparkling with gentle bubbles which is appealing to the eye.

At 11% it is a very lightweight very dry wine with high refreshing acidity. The wine has a fragrance reminiscent of green apples and citrus with a touch of mint. The Txacolina starts dry, with a wide and aromatic end.

Although the Txacolina wasn’t really to my or my sister’s taste – we both found it a little too dry for our liking but enjoyed the sparkle, Iggy enjoyed her glass and described it as refreshing and despite having quite an acid flavour didn’t cause her any discomfort. She says she would enjoy the Txacolina with food rather than on its own and would pair it with a casual but upscale fish and chip lunch.

It is suggested to serve this wine well-chilled at 6-8° C and I feel had we left it to chill a little longer we might have found it more palatable. Txacoli is the perfect accompaniment to fresh fish: sushi, oysters, or ceviches.

We award the Txacolina Bodega Aizpurua Basque Sparkling White Wine 3 out of 5 stars and would willing to give it a second go with the bottle spending more time in the fridge before serving.