Many people may think of red wine when they think of Spanish wine, but don't forget about the unique white wines as well. I would like to introduce two recommended Spanish white wines.
The recommended whites we will introduce this time are ``Cava'' and ``Txakoli.''
Cava is made using the same method as champagne and has the best cost performance.
About “Kava”
Cava is Spain's representative sparkling wine, produced mainly in the Catalonia region.
If you want to drink sparkling wine at an affordable price, try Italian Prosecco or Cava! Even though Cava is made using the same method as Champagne, it is a wine with the best cost performance and can be enjoyed for less than 2,000 yen.
How is it different from champagne?
Cava and Champagne are made using the same method, but the major difference is the grape variety. ``Cava'' is mainly produced from the ``Macabeo'' variety.
Macabeo has a simple taste with a subtle floral aroma, lemon flavor, and slightly bitter green almonds.
This is then blended with ``xarello'', which has a rich floral aroma and notes like pear and melon, and ``paraleda'', which has high acidity and a zesty citrus flavor, to add depth to the taste and aroma.
Is kava sweet? hard?
Cava is usually dry. Spain's warm climate means that the grapes are more mature and require less added sugar. We also have an extremely dry Brut Naturee with zero added sugar.
The sugar content of kava is listed on the label. (The amount of residual sugar is on the right; the lower it goes, the sweeter it is.)
- Brut Nature??? ~ Less than 3g/l?????????
- Extra Brut ???? ~ Less than 6g/l?????????
- Brut ????????????????????????????????????????????? ?????? ~ Less than 12g/l??????
- Extra Seco ??????????????? 2 to less than 17g/l????
- Seco ????????????????????????????????????????????? ?????????????????? Less than 17-32g/l???
- Semi Seco ?????????????????????????????? 32 to less than 50g/l???
- Dolce ???????????????????????????????????????????????? ??????? More than 50g/l????????
Check the type by checking the label!
Cava is divided into types based on maturity and spiciness. (The lower you go, the more expensive the wines are.) When choosing a wine, it will be easier to choose if you check the region of origin and sweetness.
- Non-vintage: the most basic category, aged for at least 9 months
- Vintage ??????: Made with grapes from a single year and aged for a minimum of 9 months
- Riserva: aged for at least 15 months
- Gran Riserva: Drier than Brut aged for at least 30 months
- Paraje Carificado: A single vineyard of Cava, equivalent to a Grand Cru.
Which bottle do you recommend?
Brut Nature Brut Nature with zero added sugar. Complex aromas of citrus fruits, green apple, brioche, and toast. In the mouth, it's fresh, with fruit flavors and lively acidity.
One of Spain's most talented restaurants, selected as a starred restaurant. However, the affordable price is also attractive.
It has a pale straw color and long rising bubbles that are fine and creamy. The nuances of toast layered with fresh aromas of apples and herbs give it a mellow and delicate impression. A very crisp mouthfeel with a long aftertaste.
The gorgeous silver bottle design is perfect as a souvenir for home parties or for celebrations! Looks like you'll enjoy a nice toast.
See the list of Cava products
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``Txakoli'' to enjoy with pintxos
Another recommended white wine is ``Txakoli''. A slightly sparkling wine produced mainly in Spain, it is dry, has a strong acidity, and has a low alcohol content.
Most Txakoli is made in the Basque region. Speaking of the Basque Country, it is famous for its gourmet city, San Sebastian, and its cultural and artistic city, Bilbao.
What kind of place is the Basque region where Txakoli is produced?
Basque region in northern Spain on the border with France. The Basque style cheesecake became a big hit and quickly became famous in Japan.
The Basque Country has a long history, with people living there for over 100,000 years. It has its own unique language and culture, making it a bit different from other Spanish cities such as Barcelona and Madrid.
Basque culture that values food
Food culture is at the heart of Basque culture.
Basque people, many of whom enjoy eating as a pastime, spend a lot of time eating and cooking. Apparently they spend twice as much on food as they do in the US!
There is a gastronomy museum in town. There was a ``Txoko'', a food gathering where people gathered to cook and eat together. You can see glimpses of that gourmet society everywhere.
The culture of bar-hopping tapas (appetizers), which can be found all over Spain, is especially famous in the Basque Country. Every day, hundreds of people crisscross the streets of old Basque towns in search of croquettes, tortillas, slices of toasted bread or seafood.
The signature dishes are pintxos and seafood.
There are many fresh and delicious fish dishes in the Basque region that stretches along the coast. Pintxos, a typical Basque dish, are filled with octopus, clams, shrimp, and more.
San Sebastian, a gastronomic town on the Basque Country's coast, is also home to a number of pintxos (tapas) bars lined up along its winding streets.
The local wine ``Txakoli'' is drunk with the colorful bite-sized pintxos.
``Txakoli'' is the best wine to enjoy with seafood.
About Txakoli
White is the most commonly produced variety, but more and more producers are now starting to make rosé.
Txakoli is exported in very small quantities and is rarely seen in Japan. Approximately 80% of the total production is consumed locally.
Txakoli is generally low in alcohol and has a strong sour taste. The white is made mainly from Hondaravi Suri grapes, and the red one is made from Hondaravi Berza grapes.
Most Txakoli is white wine. It has a greenish color and a fresh, tart lemon flavor. It also often contains slightly salty minerals, depending on how close the vineyard is to the sea.
Enjoy with your eyes! ?How to drink delicious Txakoli
Txakoli is also famous for its unique way of serving. At the pintxos bars around San Sebastian's old town and in Bilbao, it's poured into tall flat-bottomed glasses that measure 8 to 10 inches in the air.
As an image, it feels like pouring olive oil from a high position.
This method is used to stir the wine and enhance the effervescence of the slightly sparkling Txakoli. It's a fun performance to watch!
Which bottle do you recommend?
A long, complex and salty finish. It has a rich and elegant aroma of fresh, delicate, slightly sparkling white fruit, citrus, and a hint of herbs, with a rich and smooth texture. Fresh, delicate, and slightly effervescent with a long, complex, salty finish.
We recommend pairing with seafood such as raw oysters or herb-grilled fish. If you eat it with pintxos topped with salmon or shrimp, you can enjoy the feeling of being at a tapas bar in San Sebastian.
Rich and beautiful aroma of red fruits and citrus.Rich and beautiful aroma of red fruits and citrus. A slightly sparkling rosé with an elegant taste that combines freshness and mellowness.
Rosé Txakoli is recommended to be paired with sushi. Txakoli originally goes well with raw fish, but rosé goes well with soy sauce.
If you are having trouble pairing it with sashimi or sushi, please give it a try.
View the product list of Txakoli
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Cheers with cava! Enjoy Txakoli with seafood
We introduced two whites that represent Spain. Both are masterpieces born from the land of gourmet food! After toasting with cava, we had Txakoli with pintxos topped with seafood. Enjoy this delicious weekend with your friends and family!
