Tantaka - Arabako Txakolina

Serious Txakolina from the Arabako DO (Alava in Spanish), where bubbles are considered taboo. Organically farmed and naturally made by Juanjo Tellaetxe, on land his family has owned since time immemorial. Juanjo’s vineyards are located in the village of Artomaña in the Alaya (Aiara in Euskara) province. Juanjo’s goal is to produce “honest wines with a deep, local character… avoiding manipulation and masking”. His dedication to Tantaka is second only to his first devotion, his role as priest in the local villages.

Tantaka Txakoli Blanco 2019

100% Hondarrabi Zuri harvested by hand from Juanjo’s four, small, family plots totaling 4.6 hectares.

Winemaking: A gentle pressing, spontaneous fermentation, and aged on the lees for 6 months in stainless steel.

Production: 820 cases

Tantaka Txakoli Blanco 2018

100% Hondarrabi Zuri from Juanjo’s small family plots totaling 4.6 hectares.

Winemaking: A gentle pressing, spontaneous fermentation, and aged on the lees for 5 months in stainless steel.

Production: 563 cases

RP91 - Tantaka 2018

Reviewed by: Luis Gutiérrez

Issue Date: August 6, 2020

From 10-year-old vines that are farmed without herbicides, the white 2018 Tantaka represents the behavior of Hondarrabi Zuri in the Arrastaria Valley of the northeast of Álava where they vineyards are located. He picked between the 1st and 4th of October, and the grapes were quite ripe. The must was let to settle and then it fermented with indigenous yeasts and fine lees in stainless steel, which produced a vinous white with an expressive nose of pollen and herbs. It was kept with the lees for five months, which must have given it more volume, and the acidity feels integrated and mellow. A powerful white. 6,762 bottles were filled in June 2019.