In his wonderful book The Basque History of the World, writer Mark Kurlansky explains,
The Basques seem to be a mythical people, almost an imagined people. Their ancient culture is filled with undated legends and customs. Their land itself, a world of red-roofed, whitewashed towns, tough green mountains, rocky crests, a cobalt sea that turns charcoal in stormy weather, a strange language, and big berets, exists on no maps except their own.
If experts were to map the world’s most popular vinegars, the Basque Txakoli wine vinegar we have at the Deli might not show up. But it’s worth seeking out. Txakoli has long been the everyday wine in the Basque country. North Carolina-based wine importer Andre Tamers once told me, “It’s just a local wine. Txakoli just means ‘the little wine,’ like what they made at home. The locals always drink Txakoli.”
The main grape for the wine vinegar is the Basque varietal Hondarribi Zuri. When you get the Txakoli in its vinified state, it’s very lightly sparkling, hinting of good honey without being too sweet. The vinegar follows suit! It comes from one of the region’s best-known wineries, the Bodega Talai Berri, and is labeled with their brand, Ttantta. The winery is just outside the town of Zarautz, a short drive to the west of San Sebastian. We have two versions—the “regular” Txakoli vinegar (my personal pick) which reflects the flavor of the wine as it would be experienced when you drink it at the dinner table. Or the Agridulce version—made more like a balsamic, so it’s slightly sweet and a bit more intense. Both are terrific!
The first is what we could call the “straight” Txakoli wine vinegar. The vinegar is very much like the wine from which it’s made. It’s bottled right after its conversion from wine to vinegar (using the Schutzenbach method, developed in southern Germany in 1823) in order to match the fresh lightness that’s characteristic of Txakoli wine. Light amber in color, lively, slightly nutty, and really nice. Delicately flowery aroma and a nice clean, long finish. Of late, I’ve taken to sipping a little of it to start my dinner on the right foot. It’s wonderful on simple salads of most any sort. Great on the heirloom tomatoes that are at the market this time of year. Very good with seafood. Super on sardines—open a tin, sprinkle on a bit of sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, and then some of the Txakoli vinegar. Let it sit for a few minutes and eat up. Soak up any leftover liquid with bread. Really fine on fruit salad, or on a plate of Basque Piquillo peppers and freshly sliced summer peaches.
The other Txakoli-based vinegar is fortified with a bit of sweet grape must. Aged in French oak barrels, it’s a bit thicker in texture and probably more to the taste of those inclined to the sweeter side of things. Either will serve as a superb “secret” ingredient to add quiet but meaningful depth to the flavors of your food. Enjoy! As they say in the Basque Country, “You know much if you know how to live.”
