Bodegas Astobiza Txacoli, Spain (bottle price £18)
This a really stunning wine. Astobiza's vineyard is located in the small rural town of Oquendo (which isn’t too far from the town of San Sebastian), in the province of Álava, about 30 minutes from Bilbao. Located 250 meters above sea level, it is protected by mountains. The grape used in this wine is called Ondarrabi Zuri, the bunches were hand harvested into small baskets from the organically farmed single estate; and after a cold and slow fermentation (to retain aromatics), the wine was kept in stainless steel until it was bottled. When we first tasted this wine for my Spanish case the reaction was unanimous and we loved it. A really beautiful and distinctive quality that shows why this region also has huge potential as the wines pair so well with food.