Uriondo Bizkaiko Txakolina, Basque Country, Spain 2024

Uriondo Bizkaiko Txakolina, Basque Country, Spain 2024
Uriondo is a tiny, family-run winery founded in 1987 by Roberto Ibarretxe in Zaratamo, just outside Bilbao. A pioneer in reviving the region’s winemaking traditions, Roberto planted vines on his family’s dairy farm, and his winery—named for his neighborhood—now stands as the oldest in the Bizkaiko Txakolina DO. The estate remains committed to traditional, hands-on viticulture and indigenous varieties.

• WINEMAKER: Roberto Ibarretxe (now co-led with Isabel Viñas)

• FARMING: Practicing organic; minimal intervention in vineyards (no fertilizers or chemical inputs); vegan-friendly

• VARIETY: Field blend: approximately 60% Hondarrabi Zuri, 19% Mune Mahatsa, 11% Hondarrabi Zuri Zerratia, 10% Txori Mahatsa

• TERROIR: Single 2.5-hectare vineyard in Zaratamo (elevation 175 m, southeast-facing slopes) with clay, sand, and calcareous marl soils—cooled by Atlantic influence and rich in natural nutrients

• VINIFICATION: Hand-harvested, brief two-hour skin maceration, destemmed, and fermented with native yeasts in stainless steel at 12–16 °C; cold stabilized and bottled still, with no carbonic gas—following local tradition

• AGING: Rested post-fermentation before bottling as a still Txakolina with pure expression preserved

• TASTING NOTES: Lightly aromatic and refreshing, with citrus notes of green apple, lime, and Meyer lemon; bright acidity balanced by stony minerality and subtle texture—striking in its transparency and energy

• FOOD PAIRINGS: Ideal with oysters, mussels, salt cod fritters, seafood salads, or crisp snacks from the sea

From our 2025 Bottle Cult Notes:

I first blind tasted this wine in July and knew immediately it needed to be part of our Summer Clubs. If you’ve had Txakolina (pronounced cha-ko-LEE-na) before, you might expect something light and fizzy, but this wine from Uriondo is not the fizzy type.This is Basque wine at its most honest: low alcohol, electric, and made to live alongside the food and traditions of its coastal home.

Uriondo is the oldest and smallest winery in Bizkaiko Txakolina, located in the tiny village of Zaratamo near Bilbao, and was one of three pioneers that helped revive Txakolina production in the 1990s. Today, founders Roberto Ibarretxe and Isabel Viñas farm 40+ year old vines from a single 2.5ha vineyard at 175 meters elevation. The soils are a mix of clay, sand, and marl, and the Atlantic climate brings cool temperatures and constant sea influence. Farming is hands-on and practicing organic—no synthetic chemicals have ever touched their soils. They do everything manually with an eye to tradition. Unlike neighbors who plant international varieties, Uriondo is committed to native grapes—hondarrabi zuri, mune mahatsa, hondarrabi zuri zerratia, and txori mahatsa—and traditional methods. The fruit is destemmed, given a short maceration, and spontaneously fermented with native yeast in stainless steel.

The wine is clean and vibrant, with the unmistakable high acidity of the Atlantic coast, and bright green herbs, lemon peel, and oyster shell. There is no added CO₂, just a still, saline white with a clear sense of place.

Txakolina is traditionally poured in the escanciado style from a porrón—a long-spouted glass pitcher—held high above the glass to aerate the wine and enhance its texture (protip: we sell porróns!).

It’s the bottle you want with anything off the plancha: grilled sardines, gambas al ajillo, crispy anchovies, tortilla española, or even just salty potato chips. —Cara Patricia, DECANT Co-Founder