Bodegas Ameztoi, Txacoli de Getaria, Rosado 'Rubentis'

If a gorgeous pale salmon-pink rosé with clean flavours, refreshing acidity and summertime freshness is what you are looking for, then this is the wine for you! Ultra-fashionable and unbelievably hip, there is much more to this wine than trendy bars and foodie trips to the north coast of Spain. But it's definitely part of that scene...

Flavours of red berries and summer fruits, orange blossom, Yuzu and rose petals, this is just as vibrant as its white sibling, only possibly prettier! Still a wine that is blessed with its salinity, this is blatantly refreshing and delicious. It is a superb accompaniment to typical seafood dishes, crab, clams, salsa verde and chilli dishes as well as anchovies, salted almonds and paella.

It is the signature wine of the Basque region and this rosado version is predominantly made from the Hondarrabi Beltza grape and blended in part with the white Hondarrabi Zuri grape variety. The vineyards are planted on steep terraces overlooking the Bay of Biscay. The vines are grown on high trellises and the bodega are practically hands-off until harvest time, using cover crops and insects to keep diseases at bay. 

It's the winemaking that brings the characteristic features of brightness. It really is made in the same way as the white, just with a few hours of skin contact from the red grapes to add its gorgeous colour and flavour profile. As the fermentation ends, the wine is bottled very quickly, leaving some undissolved carbon dioxide in the wine, which means that when you open it, you get a lovely refreshing prickle on your tongue. Completely charming and very apt for the summer evenings.

Traditionally these wines are served in Basque pinxto bars, poured from height into tall tumbler glasses, to highlight the fizz and help it dissipate for those who'd rather it become a little more still.

Txacoli is not an easy sell, it hasn't become very well known in spite of many wine enthusiasts rabbeting-on about it. And it is a bit unpractical to serve in the traditional manner; so we recommend decanting it from the bottle if you can, because it is such a rewarding wine that offers a wonderful glimpse into the rich traditions of this region.