Last drops of wine to close the summer 

All good things come to an end and summer is no exception to this lapidary phrase. The effect of summer relaxation has almost worn off. We have started the new academic year full of energy and although we are concluding the summer days we still have room to continue enjoying the coolest wines. Officially we have an excuse until 22 September when the summer comes to an end. So, why not stretch a little more its beneficial effect in our daily life?

Wine, like any other gastronomic product, has a season that is more suitable for its consumption depending on its style. Today we leave you some tips to enjoy the last drops of wine of the summer with all the refreshment you need.

On more than one occasion we have mentioned Atlantic wines, those influenced by the humidity of the ocean. Well, this influence leaves its mark on the wine through a higher acidity and a cooler, i.e. less ripe fruit. These wines, due to their conditions, are perfect for drinking in summer.

Txakoli, atlantic and a very citric freshness

In order not to stray too far from the cool concept that brings us here today, we are going to recommend three txakolis. Gorka Izagirre 2020 blanco, a wine that responds to all our summer needs with great solvency. The Gorka Izagirre winery has some of the best scores in the Peñín Guide in the Bizkaiko Txakolina D.O., a production area so close to the sea that if we pay attention we can glimpse the saline effects of the breeze on the wine itself.

Hori Bai Artxanda 2020, by Jon Ander Rekalde, is our second txakoli of the year, with a citric and herbal character that will surprise you.

Albariño, please

Not everything in life is txakoli, we must also leave room for other wines, and in this case we are going to go to another important producing area in the style of cool crisp wines. We move to Galicia and specifically to Rías Baixas, where one of the most famous Spanish white grapes, Albariño, grows at its best. As with txakoli, the albariños from Rías Baixas have that Atlantic freshness that we like so much, which in the long run also translates into a greater capacity to age their wines, as acidity is a natural wine preservative. This is why our first recommendation is a white wine from 2013, so that you can start to get rid of the false belief that all white wines must be drunk from the current vintage. Pazo de Rubianes Albariño 2013 captivated us this year, for its crispness, its saline, floral and citric character. This wine also has an excellent value for money.

And as we have just mentioned oak, we would like to bring you a wine that will show how this variety performs in contact with wood. To do so, we turn to another relevant winery within the D.O. Rías Baixas, Bodegas La Val, an excellent representative of the wines from the Condado do Tea sub-region. Their La Val Fermentado en Barrica 2016 will bring us closer to the world of the more structured, ripe, oily and spicy Albariño, other virtues that will allow us to enjoy a gastronomy with a little more intensity. 

Bubbles to round off the summer

Our most serious Cava is represented by Parés Baltà, and this is Parés Baltà Blanca Cusiné Gran Reserva Brut Nature 2013, a long-aged sparkling wine that shows us other more subtle, pleasant and intense attributes. Here we will see a more golden colour, the result of its greater ageing and a set of rich aromas of nuts, spices and ripe fruit. Another way of approaching wine with bubbles in a more complex and enjoyable way.

Having tasted these wines, we can now officially say goodbye to summer and welcome autumn and its infinite wine-growing possibilities.