Hondarribi Beltza

The Hondarribi Beltza grape is a captivating varietal, sourced from the Basque region of Spain. It is particularly plentiful in the province of Gipuzkoa, where there's an abundance of vineyards of this grape. These are the rare beauties, rightfully considered as the backbone of many local red and rosé wines.

The Hondarribi Beltza grape, whose name loosely translates as 'black from Hondarribia', looks distinct with its unmistakably large bunches and berries that boast a deep, inky colour. These individual grapes are packed with flavours, exuding an invigorating aroma and earthy taste. When fermented, they produce a rich and characterful wine.

When crafted into a classic Txakoli wine, the grape's natural flavour profile shines through, offering a beautiful blend of raspberry, blueberry and cherry notes, blended effortlessly with a grippy, tangy twist. The taste often encloses a certain freshness, akin to a sea breeze mingling with your senses, and a revelatory minerality, attributed to the coastal areas where these vines grow.

As opposed to many other red varieties, Hondarribi Beltza is known for being light to medium bodied. The acidity profile tends to be medium high, giving it both simultaneous freshness and complexity. The tannic nature of the wine varies depending on the winemaking process, but typically, Hondarribi Beltza wines are low to medium in tannin.

While it can work wonders as a standalone grape, Hondarribi Beltza also blends well with other grape varieties, particularly the white Hondarribi Zuri grape, adding body and depth to otherwise light and crisp wines.

With traditional cultivation methods and respectful hand-harvesting, Hondarribi Beltza grapes often taste like a history lesson in the region's unswerving dedication to wine making, handed down from generation to generation. Time-honoured trellising techniques allow these unique grapes to breathe, evolve and reach their full potential, further adding to their charm.

Buy Hondarribi Beltza wine below.