Itsasmendi 7 2022

Itsasmendi makes this Txakoli in D.O. Bizkaiko Txakolina, on hillsides close to the Bay of Biscay, from a blend led by the local Hondarrabi Zuri grapes with a little Riesling. The fruit comes from seven separate plots, which gives the wine its name and lets the winery build depth from a range of sites in a cool, damp Atlantic climate. This is a fuller, more serious Txakoli than the usual spritzy style. The wine spends nine months on its lees in stainless steel, and part of the blend sees oak, so alongside the region's high acidity there is real weight and a creamy texture from the extended lees contact and its slow release of mannoproteins. It is pale gold in the glass, with green apple, pear, white peach and a saline note from the maritime setting, over the floral aromatics the Riesling brings. The palate is dry and textured, the ripe orchard fruit and Atlantic salinity held by firm acidity through a long finish. Serve it at 9 to 11 degrees. It suits grilled white fish, oily fish, chicken and hard cheeses.