Wine Description

In Basque, "itsas" means "sea" and "mendi" means "mountain," the typical landscape of  the Basque country. About 70% of the vineyards of Itsas Mendi are along the coast while 30% are found in the mountains. This wine is produced from 100% Hondarrabi Zuri grapes, a variety native to the Basque area. The grape is harvested in mid-October, fermented in stainless steel tanks and undergoes no aging.

Tasting Notes

This is a young, fruit-flavored wine, lemon-yellow in color with intense green reflections. The Hondarrabi Zuri tastes and smells of white fruit, citrus (namely grapefruit), over more subtle floral notes. It is well-balanced, fresh, round and persistent with a slightly bitter finish, typical of the variety. Can be served as an aperitif or with salads, seafood and fresh fish.  

Vineyard Characteristics

Production area/name of vineyard:	The Bizkaia vineyard
Size of vineyard (acres):	68
Soil composition:	Loam and clay
Training method:	Pergola
Elevation (feet):	Up to 660
Vines/acre:	960
Yield/acre (tons):	3.2
Exposure:	Southern
Year vineyard planted:	1989

Winemaking & Aging

Varietal composition:	100% Hondarrabi Zuri
Harvest time:	October
First vintage of this wine:	1994
Number bottles produced of this wine:	75,000
Fermentation
Fermentation container:	Stainless steel tanks
Length of alcoholic fermentation (days):	15-20
Fermentation temperature (°F):	64
Malolactic fermentation:	No
Analytical Data
Alcohol:	11.5%
pH level:	3.2
Residual sugar (grams/liter):	2.5
Acidity (grams/liter):	6.6
Dry extract (grams/liter):	24

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