Ameztoi ‘Unicus’ Getariako Txakolina Metodo Tradicional Brut Nature 2015
Ameztoi ‘Unicus’ Getariako Txakolina Metodo Tradicional Brut Nature 2015
Ameztoi is a world-renowned pioneer in the heart of the Getariako Txakolina appellation in northern Spain. Ameztoi produces wines from 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 since 1880 to carry on the tradition of making txakolina in the province of Getaria, and the self-taught winemaker has played a key role in the advancement of the region in the last decade. His intuitive and fearless pursuit of innovation and tireless work-ethic has been a driving force in the txakolina discipline. Ameztoi Txakolina is traditionally built with high acidity and low alcohol, utilizing only the native hondarrabi zuri and hondarrabi beltza grape varieties.
Ameztoi’s inspiration to use the area’s signature low alcohol and refreshing acidity as an ally to craft exceptional bottle-fermented Metodo Tradicional sparkling wines has resulted in great new possibilities for the region. Unicus is a bottle-fermented sparkling wine made from select parcels of old-vine hondarrabi zuri grapes, located in some of the best positions 200m above the villages of Getaria and Zarautz, ancient Basque fishing villages on Spain’s rugged northern coast. Unicus is hand-disgorged after extensive lees-aging (6 years) in bottle and will improve with further cellaring.
Vinification – Grapes are carefully handpicked ten days early to ensure lower base alcohol. After a direct pressing in an inert bladder press, spontaneous alcoholic fermentation occurs with indigenous yeasts in temperature-controlled stainless steel vats. The wine is transferred into old, 600L foudres where it ages for a year before bottling, where secondary fermentation takes place with selected autochthonous yeasts and concentrated grape must from their vineyards. Unicus is aged on the lees in bottle for 6 years before hand-disgorgement. Unfiltered, no dosage.