CWD: '08 Ameztoi Rubentis

D

drssouth

Stephen South
With grilled chicken kebabs with squash, onions, mushrooms, peppers

'08 Ameztoi Rubentis, Getariako Txakolina, alc 11%....a bit of spritz upon opening (similar to that in Cava)...pale salmon...very tart and acidic with strawberry on the palate...very refreshing and held up to the Speidie maranade and the yogurt sauce quite well...little changed since last year (no better, no worse)
 
originally posted by SteveTimko:
I wonder if the decline of the 2008 compared to 2007 was due to the vintage or the mixing in of the new vineyard.
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Not til 2010. Vineyard destroyed (by a state road) after 2009. New shit, a bit in 2009, but full on 2010. Less production, but old vines, so similar quality. That's the story as I heard it.
 
VLM:
This is what De Maison wrote on their Facebook page when I asked them about Ameztoi losing a vineyard:

To address Steve's concern: Ameztoi is currently sourcing their Hondarribi Beltza for the rose from two old-vine vineyards. They used to only source from one vineyard but a few years ago they found that the vineyard was slated for destruction in favor of a highway expansion. When options to save the vineyard were exhausted they started shifting their sourcing to another old-vines vineyard nearby. The 2008 and 2009 vintages have been a blend of the two sites but that is coming to an end. The 2010 will be sourced purely from the "new" site. Ameztoi Rubentis will live on and continue to be the same wine you've come to enjoy.
 
originally posted by SteveTimko:
VLM:
This is what De Maison wrote on their Facebook page when I asked them about Ameztoi losing a vineyard:

To address Steve's concern: Ameztoi is currently sourcing their Hondarribi Beltza for the rose from two old-vine vineyards. They used to only source from one vineyard but a few years ago they found that the vineyard was slated for destruction in favor of a highway expansion. When options to save the vineyard were exhausted they started shifting their sourcing to another old-vines vineyard nearby. The 2008 and 2009 vintages have been a blend of the two sites but that is coming to an end. The 2010 will be sourced purely from the "new" site. Ameztoi Rubentis will live on and continue to be the same wine you've come to enjoy.
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That's exactly what Andre told me last night at dinner.

Quantities will be reduced, unfortunately.
 
I often notice the degree to which a good American importer of a certain wine can influence perceptions in a market which only receives a minor fraction of Spain's production. (I can't complain of my own situation, obviously.) But Andr Tamers does a great job, first in selecting good producers with personality (I particularly like Do Ferreiro, D. Ventura, El Maestro Sierra, Gutirrez Colosa, Joan d'Anguera and Emilio Rojo) and then in placing their wines as standarbearers in their categories. So Ameztoi Rubentis, from what I can tell, has become 'the' txakoli ros in America, a lonely and unbeatable monument. Well, from what Matteo says I can gather that De Maison is adding its only competition, since they are also Gurrutxaga's importers! As they say in France, 'chapeau'!

Just for the record, there ARE other txakoli ros wines (in all three txakoli appellations - Bizkaiko Txakolina, Getariako Txakolina and Arabako Txakolina) that are pretty good (locally, BTW, they don't call them 'rosado' but 'ojo de gallo', 'rooster's eye', which is like a macho Iberian rendition of France's 'oeil de perdrix). In case you visit the Basque Country on vacations (I guess they are hard or impossible to find in the US), and in need in some new ros experiences, you might want to jot down these names: Txabarri, Uriarte, Sasikoetxe, Artzai, Beldui.
 
Yes, I agree with what you said. Also my statement is two sided: As discussed above, the Ameztoi rose` will be changing vineyard sites in 2010 because of the highway, those "new vineyards" are actually the ones of Gurrutxaga's. So the Gurruxtxaga is now "the" txakoli to have since this vintage is scarce and it is also a preview of the "new" Ameztoi. Clever non?

On a side note: I just tried and am now in love with a beautiful Basque rose` from the French side of the border in the village of Irouleguy. 2008 (current release) from Illaria(10 case import). Sick stuff. Their white was heavely as well. So, yes. Plenty of Basque rose` for all. Ameztoi was simply the call to action.
 
originally posted by Matteo Mollo:

On a side note: I just tried and am now in love with a beautiful Basque rose` from the French side of the border in the village of Irouleguy. 2008 (current release) from Illaria(10 case import). Sick stuff. Their white was heavely as well. So, yes. Plenty of Basque rose` for all. Ameztoi was simply the call to action.
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Who is the importer?
 
originally posted by VS:
I often notice the degree to which a good American importer of a certain wine can influence perceptions in a market which only receives a minor fraction of Spain's production. (I can't complain of my own situation, obviously.) But Andr Tamers does a great job, first in selecting good producers with personality (I particularly like Do Ferreiro, D. Ventura, El Maestro Sierra, Gutirrez Colosa, Joan d'Anguera and Emilio Rojo) and then in placing their wines as standarbearers in their categories. So Ameztoi Rubentis, from what I can tell, has become 'the' txakoli ros in America, a lonely and unbeatable monument. Well, from what Matteo says I can gather that De Maison is adding its only competition, since they are also Gurrutxaga's importers! As they say in France, 'chapeau'!

Just for the record, there ARE other txakoli ros wines (in all three txakoli appellations - Bizkaiko Txakolina, Getariako Txakolina and Arabako Txakolina) that are pretty good (locally, BTW, they don't call them 'rosado' but 'ojo de gallo', 'rooster's eye', which is like a macho Iberian rendition of France's 'oeil de perdrix). In case you visit the Basque Country on vacations (I guess they are hard or impossible to find in the US), and in need in some new ros experiences, you might want to jot down these names: Txabarri, Uriarte, Sasikoetxe, Artzai, Beldui.
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Thanks for the other names Victor. My view is a bit narrow due to my friendship and proximity to Andre. I'll keep an eye out for these other producers.
 
originally posted by Matteo Mollo:
Yes, I agree with what you said. Also my statement is two sided: As discussed above, the Ameztoi rose` will be changing vineyard sites in 2010 because of the highway, those "new vineyards" are actually the ones of Gurrutxaga's. So the Gurruxtxaga is now "the" txakoli to have since this vintage is scarce and it is also a preview of the "new" Ameztoi. Clever non?

On a side note: I just tried and am now in love with a beautiful Basque rose` from the French side of the border in the village of Irouleguy. 2008 (current release) from Illaria(10 case import). Sick stuff. Their white was heavely as well. So, yes. Plenty of Basque rose` for all. Ameztoi was simply the call to action.
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Nice! I'll have to see if I can track down some of the Illaria. I also have a VERY small amount of some more Basque Rose coming in June. The 2009 Brana Iroulguy Rose should be great this year from what I've heard. Can't wait. I love Rose season.
 
Thanks to Andr, I had the '09 Gurrutxaga tonight; it's a bit out of joint, I would guess from recent bottling. A delight, nonetheless, of the "alimentaire" school. Promotes eating for pleasure!
 
originally posted by Steve Edmunds:
Thanks to Andr, I had the '09 Gurrutxaga tonight; it's a bit out of joint, I would guess from recent bottling. A delight, nonetheless, of the "alimentaire" school. Promotes eating for pleasure!
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I agree with both the current state of this wonderful rose`(i think it will flesh out in a couple months) and how it is so very encouraging to drink amongst food and friend (and sometimes foe).
 
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