Ameztoi "Stimatum" Getariako Txakolina Tinto, Basque Country, Spain 2023

FROM DE MAISON:

THE WINE: Stimatum, meaning esteemed, is Ameztoi’s limited red txakoli. It is produced exclusively from the local, indigenous hondarrabi beltza variety, 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 hondarrabi beltza vines, the Ameztoi family retained their old vines, giving their wines such exceptional vibrancy and complexity. Stimatum is inspired by the historic claret-style wines which were once produced in the area before phylloxera. The backbone of the blend comes from an old hondarrabi beltza vineyard planted in 1840, preserved by the Ameztoi family for generations. The traditional style of Stimatum is true to the origins of the Getariako region’s winemaking tradition, a low-alcohol wine with a luminous, refreshing frame and the signature spritz of natural, residual CO2. It is a fantastic, natural accompaniment to the local calamares en su tinta, squid served in its own ink.

THE PRODUCER: Ameztoi is a renowned producer in Getariako Txakolina, respected for producing both traditional wines in large barrels and as an innovator for their rosé txakolina and méthode traditionnelle sparkling wines. Ameztoi owns twenty hectares of estate vineyards located in the most privileged position in the region, facing the Bay of Biscay. High in the vineyards, planted on the dramatic seaside cliffs of the ancient fishing village of Getaria, one can see the town of San Sebastian, which lies just twenty minutes away along a serpentine highway.

Ignacio Ameztoi is the fifth generation of his family to carry on the tradition of making txakolina in the province of Getaria, and he has played a key role in the advancement of the region in the last decade. His intuitive and fearless pursuit of innovation has been a driving force in the txakolina discipline.

Ameztoi Txakolina is traditionally built with high acidity and low alcohol, utilizing only native varieties hondarrabi zuri and hondarrabi beltza. The wine is fermented in refrigerated stainless steel tanks utilizing indigenous yeasts from the vineyard. The tanks are closed to preserve natural carbonation from fermentation, which is the preferred style of Getaria. The tanks are kept chilled to near 32 degrees Fahrenheit before bottling, which preserves the wine’s delicate, effervescent character and signature mousse.