Pink basque – no stockings

As you know, I love Chacoli – those white wines from the Basque region are so lively, refreshing and delicious.

Well a few years ago Ameztoi created the first rosé Chacoli and it is a lovely, if rare wine. I was fortunate enough to try the 2008 vintage recently and I highly recommend that you beg, steal or buy a bottle – it is splendid summer drinking.

The vineyards are on slopes virtually on the shore of the Bay of Biscay around San Sebastian and are very beautiful. You can see a map here.

Ameztoi vineyards & the sea

Ameztoi vineyards

Ameztoi vineyards sloping to the sea

Ameztoi Rubentis 2008

DO Getariako Txakolina/DO Chacolí de Getaria

The colour is very pale, sort of strawberry juice in a white bowl pink while the aroma is the scent of crushed rose petals with delicate hints of strawberry and cherry.

The palate is light, it seems almost weightless really with an overwhelming sensation of being fresh and lively which is enhanced by the slight spritz and the zip of acidity.

The flavours are a delicious melange of hint of redcurrants, pink grapefruit and rose hips that marry seamlessly with the purity and freshness of the wine as well as the seam of minerality that runs through it. The flavours hint at fruits rather than actually taste of them in an out and out way – it is very delicate, very unusual and really delicious.

It is crisp and refreshing with almost sorbet-like acidity, but, as with rosé Champagne the hints at red fruit character of this rosé version has softened the sensation of acidity compared to the white original and almost removed that touch of saltiness too. It is so well balanced you hardly notice that it is alcoholic at all, albeit at only 11%.

So, it might be less invigorating and startling than the white, but it is really delicious and enjoyable – the lack of body together with the intensely lively character make it a wonderful alfresco drink.

Great with red onion and tomato salad with garlicy grilled prawns – in the garden with your shoes and socks off.

Around £10.99 a bottle from Les Caves de Pyrene