2021 Doniene Gorrondona, Bizkaiko Txakolina Bakio

Winemaking in Spain dates back hundreds and hundreds of years, and Itziar and Andoni are not the property’s first owners; the estate’s farmhouse and winery date back to 1852. When they purchased the winery and surrounding vineyards, the pair wanted to pay homage to the property’s history, and so Itziar combined the farmhouse’s original name ‘Gorrondona’ with Doniene, which is the Basque word for Saint John. In Bakio, where the winery is located, St. John is the region’s patron saint.

The soil in the vineyards of Doniene Gorrondona are an extremely acidic mix of sandstone and shale, and Itziar has, quite bluntly, described it as a poor type of soil that stresses the vines into rooting deeply into the earth in search of water and nutrients. Grapes grown in these conditions are not prolific producers, but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing when it comes to vine cultivation.

You see, when the vines must struggle to reach their resources, the result is bunches of grapes that are tightly coiled and smaller than the ones grown in more nutrient-dense soil. These grapes have a noticeable concentration of flavor that high-yielding grapes lack. 

Doniene Gorrondona looks at winemaking with an “it takes a village” mentality. Today, ownership of this boutique winery is shared by Itziar and Andoni, as well as Itziar’s brother, Egoitz, who assists in managing operations, as well as Julen Frías, the agronomist who tends the vineyards.   

Preserving Txakolina Wine Culture

The proprietors of Doniene Gorrondona have put an enormous effort into saving two of Basque’s native grapes: Hondarrabi Zuri and Hondarrabi Beltza. The vineyard land in Txakolina has been susceptible to two of the most pressing threats to modern-day vineyards: phylloxera and loss of land to real estate developers who want to put vacation homes on the scenic oceanfront land. 

Doniene Gorrondona was one of a handful of vintners who believed the wine culture in the area was worth saving, and they were instrumental in revitalizing the region and helping it achieve DOP status (Protected Denomination of Origin). To that end, Itziar and her team prioritize the use of Hondarrabi Zuri and Hondarrabi Beltza in their wines so that they can continue to introduce these indigenous grapes to wine lovers beyond Spain to further foster the growth of these special grapes.

The Wines of Bizkaiko Txakolina 

The Bizkaiko Txakolina DOP is located in the northernmost part of Spain and was granted protected status in 1994. Vineyards like the ones owned by Doniene Gorrondona in Bizkaiko Txakolina receive a cooling influence from the Atlantic coast, ample sunshine, and very little rain. The region isn’t a large one; there are just 36 designated wineries in the Bizkaiko Txakolina DOP.

Popular Grapes of Basque

This bottle of Doniene Gorrondona, Bizkaiko Txakolina Bakio is a blend of Hondarrabi Zuri 85%, Hondarrabi Zuri Zerratia 8%, Mune Mahatsa 4%, Hondarrabi Beltza 3%. Because the grapes in this part of the wine world still fly under the radar, here is a quick rundown of what’s in the blend. 

• Hondarrabi Zuri – Zuri means ‘white’ in Euskara, the language spoken in Basque, and Hondarrabi Zuri is the most popular grape in this growing region. These grapes are also used in the wildly popular, slightly fizzy Txacoli wines. 
• Hondarrabi Zuri Zerratia – While the name is similar to Hondarrabi Zuri, the Hondarrabi Zuri Zerratia grape has no relation to Hondarrabi Zuri. In fact, Hondarrabi Zuri Zerratia is actually the French grape Petit Courbu. 
• Mune Mahatsa – In another case of mistaken identity, the Basque grape Mune Mahatsa is Folle Blanche. This obscure grape hails from the western portion of the Loire Valley.
• Hondarrabi Beltza – A dark-skinned grape that is believed to be a descendant of Cabernet Franc, Hondarrabi Beltza is used as a blending grape and in rosé wine.