Artomaña "Xarmant" 2023 Arabako Txakolina

750ml bottle

12.5% abv

Arabako Txakolina
Site: Artomaña - 21ha split between eleven estate vineyards
Grapes: 80% Hondarrabi Zuri / 20% Petit Courbú
Vine Age: Vines planted in 1986
Soil: Deep alluvial soil with loam and calcareous elements
Vinification: Fermented with indigenous yeasts in stainless steel tanks
Aging: Two months on the lees without bâtonnage
Farming: Practicing Organic Vegan: Yes

Xarmant is made from sustainably-farmed, estate vineyards of indigenous grapes from the Arabako Txakolina DO in the verdant Basque Country, close to the Bay of Biscay on Spain’s rugged Atlantic coast. This proximity to the ocean creates an ideal microclimate, defined by the brisk, northerly waters, and the humid north-northwest wind blowing off them, which cools the vines even on the hottest summer afternoons. The breathtaking Orduña Valley forms a sweeping horseshoe-shaped protective barrier around the vineyards and village, which moderates the climate year-round. Nearby,  one can hear the rumble of the epic Salto del Nervión, Western Europe’s highest waterfall, featuring a jaw-dropping 300m drop.

These dramatic geological features belie the friendly, humble nature of both the people and the wines here in Álava. It’s no coincidence that the family named their wine Xarmant (“charming”), as we’ve yet to find a soul that can resist the charms of their lovingly and carefully made, unmistakably Basque wines.

Grape varieties are harvested separately based on ripeness, and the must is extracted using a pneumatic press. After a brief cold maceration, each variety ferments separately in stainless steel tanks, utilizing native yeasts. The wine then ages on the lees for two months, before being blended and stored at low temperatures in stainless steel for stabilization until bottling. Per the style in Álava, Xarmant is bottled with less naturally occurring residual carbon dioxide than txakoli from other regions, like Getaria.

Artomaña Txakolina was founded in 1988, becoming the first producer in the region when twelve growers began recovering the tradition of producing Txakoli wine in Álava and established the denomination of Arabako Txakolina in 2002. Up to this point, the tradition of making txakoli was mostly lost throughout many of the Basque provinces (except for Getaria, where the culture never died), and their historical vine material was used to replant Álava.

Eugenio Alava Ugarte was the visionary and first generation of the project to revitalize txakoli in the 1980s and 90s. He was responsible for the vision of replanting the txakoli vineyards he remembered as a boy with his original 6ha of hondarrabi zuri in 1988. In 2005, Eugenio’s two sons, the Alava brothers, furthered the family project by striking out on their own as Artomaña Txakolina. Together they founded a new cellar, combining their vineyards to achieve the current 20ha and with the rebirth of the txakoli tradition, passing Eugenio’s vision onto the third generation.

The name Xarmant is a fitting reflection of this joyous wine from the bountiful Amurrio valley in Spanish Basque Country.

Artomaña Txakolina is located south of the town of Amurrio at 350m in the verdant foothills of the Sierra Salvada mountains, next to the Nervión river before the magnificent waterfall of Salto del Nervión drops over 270m, creating one of the highest and most beautiful waterfalls in all of Western Europe. The Amurrio valley faces the Atlantic Ocean where its proximity creates a unique, ideal microclimate. As an aside, this valley is also rich in sloe berries utilized for the local Basque liqueur, Pacharán.

Xarmant utilizes a blend of their estate grapes, which are the traditional varieties indigenous to the Basque region: hondarribi zuri with petit courbu, gros manseng, and petit manseng. The wine is fermented in stainless steel, utilizing indigenous yeasts to allow the grapes to reflect the true qualities of the unique soil and site. Per the style in Álava, Xarmant is bottled with less naturally-occurring residual carbon dioxide than txakoli from other regions, like Getaria.