THE GATEWAY TO WINE TOURISM IN THE BASQUE COUNTRY

The restoration of the txakoli-making tradition by Hiruzta has elevated Hondarribia to a prominent position on the world map of wine tourism. The combination of a centuries-old wine-making tradition, the undoubted potential and appeal of the town as a tourist destination, and its prime location beside the border mean that lovers of wine and high-end tourism simply cannot miss out on Hondarribia.
Hondarribi Zuri and Hondarribi Beltza (Hondarribia White and Hondarribia Red). These are the two varieties of grapes that txakoli is made with. In addition to the curious relationship of the name, there are historical indications that txakoli used to be produced in Hondarribia, as it was in many other parts of the Basque Country. It was the wine that was produced and consumed in the farmhouse itself, as indicated by the word its name comes from, ‘etxakoa’ (home-made).
The Rekalde family, Asensio, the father, and Txarli and Ángel, his two sons, started to make their dream a reality, restoring the wine-making tradition of Hondarribia in an ideal location beside the Txingudi bay and the sea, under the protection of mount Jaizkibel and in a south-facing area. This was further confirmed by the soil analysis, which established it was one hundred percent suitable for cultivation.
Thus Hiruzta, “harvest of three”, was born in 2008, restoring the txakoli-making tradition in Hondarribia after centuries of oblivion, since the time when the city’s military strategy recommended avoiding making any type of food available to an enemy that might station itself before the fortress of the Old Quarter with the intention of invading it.
The winery is open to everybody and there are also guided tours. The project is not only concerned with restoring Hondarribia’s txakoli-making tradition; it also aspires to become a point of reference in wine tourism in the Basque Country, capitalising on Hondarribia’s prime location on the border with the French Basque Country and France.
Hondarribia, the birthplace of the Hondarrabi Zuri and Hondarrabi Beltza grapes, boasts a centuries-old wine-making tradition, a fascinating historical and monumental heritage, and a rich selection of hotels, restaurants and spectacular local cuisine. All of these ingredients mean that this Basque gem must now surely occupy a prominent position on the European map of high-end wine tourism.