Designation of Origin "Txakolí"
Txakoli de Bizkaia is a Spanish Designation of Origin for Txakoli wine, originating of wine regions of Biscay, in the Basque Country. This encompassed by municipalities of the following counties: Encartaciones (left bank of Nervión), Uribe, Duranguesado, Urdaibai, Lea Artibai and Arratia-Nervion. It occupies an area of 358 hectares. It was established in 1994 when the headquarters of the regulatory board was in the Mendibile Palace of Lejona.
In Vizcaya there are more varieties of white wines than in other Designations of Origin basques, due to the diversity of cultivated areas (there are a plenty of small wine farms in the province) and incorporating of grape Folle Blanche.
The wine area of the coast has an Atlantic climate, cool and humid, while the interior have a drier and warmer continental climate. The grapes are grown in soils of the hillside, sheltered from the north winds, and always looking for areas of maximum sunlight to get the ripening of the grapes, at an average altitude of 50-200 m.
The development of protected wines, is made exclusively from grapes of the following varieties: Ondarrabi Zuri and Ondarrabi Beltza (recommended varieties), and Ondarrabi Zuri Zerratia (Petit Courbu) Mune Mahatsa (Folle Blanche), Izkiriota (Gros Manseng ), Izkiriota Ttippia (Petit Manseng), Sauvignon blanc, Riesling and Chardonnay (authorized varieties).
Doniene Gorrondona Txakolina is the evolution of traditional farmhouse to a modern winery, where the txakoli is produced in a professional manner.
Located in Bakio, the surface of the surrounding vineyards ensures quality raw material. This geographical location, along Cantabric Sea and in turn protected in the center of the valley, makes the grapes from their vineyards, located on their slopes, have a very strong personality. The mix of tradition and new technologies is the premise for the elaboration of its txakoli.
Continuous tests and all investigations carried out, lead them to become in one of the wineries with the highest number of references made. And pioneer in some of them, such as in txakolis with barrel fermentation and production of sparkling and distilled. Currently, Doniene Gorrondona is the only winery among those supported to the Designation of Origin Txakoli that has its own distillery.