Tucked in the elbow of coastline where Spain meets France is the sliver of Basque country that faces the Atlantic. Anyone in search of culinary nirvana, a super chill vibe, and some of the most proud, warm Spaniards should have this area on their list. And the wine most synonymous with this area is txakolina. Pronounced CHAR-koh-lee, it's most often a light white with an effervescent zeal that fades quickly after pouring (which is usually from an exaggerated height into a flat-bottomed glass so that it splashes.)
Little of the stuff makes it to US shores, so if you see any at all, it's worth a spin. Recently I found a rose version of this wine, and it's also worth grabbing should you spy it on a shelf, especially if you're looking for an alternative to boring roses this summer.
Slightly effervescent, jubilant, and pink, this fun-as-hell wine is clean, dry, and well-made. At under $20, it's way more wallet-friendly than most domestic roses worth drinking and and super versatile. And at just 11.5% ABV, it is also very porch friendly morning, noon, or night.
