Oxer Bastegieta 'Marko Terlegiz' Blanco 2022

A white wine with character and a story to tell. Terlegiz is the neighbourhood where the winemaker Oxer's father was born; in the Basque language, the name means "bee sanctuary."

The wine comes from a single plot in the village of Kortezubi (Bizkaia), a small old town famous for its prehistoric caves, part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The vineyards sit on a clay-loam topsoil over a limestone subsoil, with slate in some parts — a combination that lends the wine minerality and depth.

At its heart are rare native Basque varieties: 40% Hondarrabi Zuri Zerratia (Petit Courbu), 40% Hondarrabi Zuri (Gros Courbu), 10% Izkiriota Txikia (Petit Manseng) and 10% Izkiriota Handia (Gros Manseng).

Strictly selected grapes are fermented with native yeasts in 2,500 L Austrian oak foudres. The wine is then aged for 7 months on its fine lees — in the same foudres and in used 600 L French oak barrels — giving it remarkable complexity and texture.

A limited production of just 4,100 bottles of 0.75 L.

 

Food pairing. Perfect with shellfish — oysters, clams, prawns, anchovies. Excellent with lean white fish (grilled or baked), sushi and ceviche, and with Basque pintxos and appetisers. A superb aperitif.

Serving. Chill to 8–10 °C. Delicious young, yet capable of ageing for several years.