paging brian flanagan

Apparently it got all “cool” and “hipster” to drink Txacoli in the past few years. Whatever. I got one the other night at this place Bluebird in Chicago and it’s really unique and you should check it out.

It’s made in the Basque part of Spain, which is in the north right off the ocean. The cool thing is that it actually tastes a little salty.

As a bonus to its unique taste is the way it’s poured. You’re supposed to either use a special bottle called a porron, or at Bluebird they just used the regular bottle with one of those silver tops they use on liquor bottles at bars. You then start pouring at the rim of the glass, then lift the bottle up really high and then bring it back down. This is what makes it all frothy and aerated. Plus, it’s totally entertaining in a Tom Cruise/Cocktail sort of way.

atlantic ocean? no - txakoli!

Between the salty flavor and the frothiness from the pour, it’s like you’re drinking a glass of the ocean. That might sound gross – it’s not. And it’s PERFECT with shellfish (or any kind of salt-watery fish) – lobster, oysters, crab. They didn’t have any of that on the menu at Bluebird, so we got grilled baby octopus which was pretty good with it.

By the way, you can call it Txakoli (cha-ko-LEE) or Txakolina. Outside the Basque region, it’s spelled Chacolí but pronounced the same. It’s a great summer wine, or a wine to pretend it’s summer a few months from now. Also, every time I hear the word Txakolina it reminds me of the Daddy Yankee song “Gasolina” and then I start singing it which makes me laugh.