Basque wine: Txakoli, Irouleguy, Navarra, Rioja Alavesa
Wines of the Basque Country
Txakoli
One of the most surprising Basque wines.
It is a surprising wine due to its lightness and slight sparkle, which sets it apart from other Basque wines. It comes in white Txakoli, rosé Txakoli, and also red Txakoli, which is surely the least well-known of the three. This Basque wine has 3 controlled designations of origin:
Getaria Txakoli: D.O. Getariako Txakolina
This Txakoli is found in the Basque province of Gipuzkoa in the coastal area around Getaria. The grape varieties used are Courbu, Petit Courbu, Gros Manseng, Riesling, and Chardonnay for the white Txakoli, and Hondarribi Beltza for the rosé and red.
Bizkaia Txakoli: D.O. Bizkaiako Txakolina
Heading to the province of Bizkaia for this Txakoli produced on the coastal strip and also inland over a much larger area than its Getaria and Alava Txakoli neighbors. The grape varieties used are Petit Courbu, Folle Blanche, Gros Manseng, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Chardonnay, as well as Hondarribi Beltza and Hondarribi Zuri.
Alava Txakoli: D.O. Arabako Txakolina
This Txakoli comes from the Basque province of Alava, a little further inland than the Getaria or Bizkaia Txakolis. The reference grape variety is Hondarribi Zuri, but other varieties can be used such as Folle Blanche, Petit Manseng, Gros Manseng, and Courbu.
Discover our Txakoli Txomin Etxaniz
Irouleguy, AOC Irouleguy
The Basque wine that is undoubtedly one of the best-known Basque products in France
The only Basque wine from the Northern Basque Country to have a controlled designation, Irouleguy comes in red, white, and rosé; with production being majority Irouleguy red. The grape varieties used are Tannat, Cabernet Franc, and Cabernet Sauvignon for the reds and rosés; as for the white Irouleguy, they are produced with the Petit Courbu, Courbu, Petit Manseng, and Gros Manseng varieties.
Rioja wine, DOC Rioja Alavesa
Rioja Alavesa wine is produced in the Basque province of Alava.
Rioja wine is known worldwide; its production is divided into 3 zones: Rioja Alta, Rioja Baja, and Rioja Alavesa. It is this last zone that is located in the Basque Country. The Tempranillo variety is the majority there, but Graciano is also found.
Navarra, DO Navarra
This Basque wine is probably the least known of all
Navarre is one of the provinces of the Southern Basque Country. Here we find production of red, rosé, and white wine, but also some sweet Muscats. The specific climate, mixing oceanic, continental, and Mediterranean influences, offers the various terroirs of the designation a real singularity. The grape varieties used are mainly Grenache, followed by Tempranillo, Viura, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Mazuelo, and Graciano.
