From: Getariako Txakolina, Basque Country, Spain
Varietal: 50% Hondarribi Beltza. 50% Hondarribi Zuri
Rubentis, the region’s first pink wine, was inspired by the historic claret-style wines which were once produced in the area long before the current global craze made rosé famous. The backbone of the blend comes from an old Hondarribi Beltza vineyard planted in 1840 and preserved by the Ameztoi family for generations. Ameztoi Rubentis is an authentic original, a wine that is often imitated but never replicated.
Tasting Notes: By adjusting the blend to increase the amount of Hondarribi Beltza, the red txakoli grape, Ameztoi has made this rosé txakoli that retains all the freshness of traditional white txakoli. This wine is pale pink with bright shades of fuchsia, showing a super-fine, elegant bubble. The fragrance gives off notes of citrus and menthol. Harmonious in the mouth, the wine has a freshness reminiscent of strawberries and red candied fruit, coupled with a cheerfully fine spritz of a bubble.
Pairing: Great for sipping while sharing a warm summer evening with friends, this wine is excellent on its own or with oysters, sushi, seafood tempura, vegetables, pilaf, and white meats.
Ameztoi Txakolina is one of the top producers of Getariako Txakolina. They own 20 hectares of vines in the best location. From the vineyards, one can see the town of St. Sebastian and understand the influence of the Atlantic Ocean on local viticulture.
The iconic Ameztoi Rubentis rosé is a field blend of the local, indigenous Hondarribi Zuri and Hondarribi Beltza varieties, grown on traditional trellises high on the slopes rising above Getaria, an ancient Basque fishing village on Spain’s rugged northern coast. In the 2000s, when almost all of the other local wineries gave up on the indigenous red Hondarribi Beltza vines, the Ameztoi family retained their old vines, in turn, lending their rosé such exceptional vibrancy and complexity.
