This weekend, I hit up the Txakoli Fest held at Six Plates Wine Bar in Durham. A $5 entry fee gave you access to an afternoon and evening of live music and a traditional glass to take home. Six Plates is always an enjoyable spot to pass the time as I love their goth-lite vibe, stemming mainly from their lush red upholstery and fun chandeliers.
What is Txakoli, you ask? Per Wikipedia, it "...is a slightly sparkling, very dry white wine with high acidity and low alcohol content produced in the Basque Country." Six Plates had several different types available by the glass from $7–$11 as well as $0.75 shots of Basque cider. My one complaint was that the wines were not available in a tasting format; I wanted to try them all and then perhaps enjoy a glass or two of my favorites but that was not an option. I'd definitely suggest that they consider adding a tasting as part of the entry fee should Txakoli Fest return next summer.
So I bit the bullet and decided to drink my way through a few glasses blindly. Txakoli is mainly white wine and the first I tried, which I think was Uriondo, was very crisp and refreshing. Next was The Xamant, available on draft (Yes, a wine on draft! Oh, the novelty!), and it was a bit too minerally for me. They also had a red Txakoli (Gurrutxaga?) available, which is rare for this winemaking style. I found it quite dense and strongly tasting of clay.
The Basque cider, though, was the winner of the evening for me. It was quite complex and bursting with vibrant, tangy notes that reminded me of star fruit. Had I not just had three glasses of wine, I would have called for another shot with pleasure.
Caruso, a local Durham music group, entertained us and I thought they were excellent. You can see them in the back right corner of this shot.
Their music was smooth and soulful, like a peppy R&B group. I will check them out again in the future! You can listen to their music here.
Thanks for putting together Txakoli Fest, Six Plates. I had a good time, but seriously, consider having a tasting available next year. Some of us like to try a bit of everything.
Heading into a tasting room, whether as part of a winery, distillery, meadery, or brewery, is always exciting for me. I love being able to sample several items, always hoping the flight will offer the joy of unexpected flavors or show off clear differences between aging and brewing styles. Ideally, the location will offer a mix of relaxation and information, and when beautiful scenery is also on offer? Perfection.