Profile of Talai Berri
Txakoli is one of the world's great novelty wines. Produced in the breathtakingly beautiful Basque
coast, the Txakoli winemakers have to fight the elements (salty, sea air, chilly temperatures,
Atlantic winds) to make these zippy white wines that supply all of the bars in San Sebastian.
Txakoli is a genuine Basque product, unique in that it is only made in three main villages
(Getaria, Zarautz and Aya), and Basque Country is virtually the only place on earth where you can
find it. The Tapas Bars and restaurants of San Sebastian, Bilbao, Getxo, Hondarribia, etc, will
always have Txakoli on hand, but finding it in Madrid or Barcelona is difficult.
Txakoli wine is nearly all white, made with the unusual "Hondarribi Zuri" grape. Tiny amounts of red
Txakoli are made with the "Hondarribi Beltza" grape ("Beltza" means "Black" in Euskera, the Basque
Language). Txakoli is considered a "Vino de Aguja", meaning there is a slight fizz to it, not quite
sparkling but a bit effervescent. The Txakoli wines are very high in acidity, and low in alcohol.
They suit the array of "Tapas" and "Pintxos" of the Basque bars perfectly, as the strong flavours
(sardines, artichokes, garlic, vinegar, etc) can be disastrous when paired with other wines.
Talai Berri is one of the leading producers of this boutique wine. The winery is beautiful, built in
the typical architectural style of the area like a "Caserio", a Basque farmhouse. Talai Berri is
family run, with the parents and two daughters involved in the daily operations and only two
permanent staff. It is located in the lush hills above Zarautz, the wealthy seafront village where
well-heeled families from San Sebastian have their summer homes. The owner, Bixente Eiagirre Aginaga
is the 4th generation of winemakers in his family, and he is the head winemaker with his daughter
Itziar second in command. His wife and other daughter also work full time at Talai Berri, and Itziar
is expecting a baby who she hopes will be the sixth generation winemaker. The winery produces a
microscopic production of Txakoli (white with 4,000 bottles of red) and they also sell a digestive
called "Lamin Ura" which is made with their grape seeds and skins and processed at a nearby
"Alcolera". The quality od talai berri's Txakolis is some of the best in the region, and the
wines are perfectly suited to the fresh, grilled seafood available all over this gorgeous part of
Spain.
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Address:
Talai Berri Txakolina
Address: Talaimendi Auzoa,
728 (Kanpinaren Indoan)
Apdo. 184, 20800 Zarautz,
Gipuzkoa, Spain
Tel/ Fax: +34 943 13 27 50
Email: talaiberri@euskalnet.net
Winery Details
Txakoli de Getaria
Founded: 1992 officially, although winemaking goes back 4 generations
Owner: Bixente Eiagirre Aginaga
Winemaker: : Bixente and Itziar Aginaga
Area under Vine: : 9 ha
Grape Varietals: Hondarrabi Zuri and Hondarrabi Beltza
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