Today was a day of breath taking views and authentic wine. Our group toured the Talai Berri vineyard in San Sebastián, which is the only place in the world that can produce Txakoli. This wine is special to the Basque Country and the local people. Txakoli is served at all of the local bars and restaurants. What makes this wine different is not only that it is produced in San Sebastián, which in my opinion is one of the most gorgeous places I’ve seen, but the way it is made and poured. The wine must be poured from high up to break the wine and aerate it, making it even more uniqueness . We learned the process from a fifth generation wine maker, who takes care of all factors of the production of the wine. She had learned everything from her family. The business being in the family for so long shows just how important family is in the Spanish culture. From grapes on a vine to the refreshing white wine served in a glass, she knew all their was to know. The vineyard was 90% white grapes and 10% red, but all the grapes are harvested in September. The first batches of Txakoli would be done in December. We saw how the grapes are juiced, cleaned & fermented. From there the wine would be bottled to be drank and sealed with a cork and a label. Seeing the difference between the way other wines are made gave our group insight on just how original this wine is. After learning the process, we got to try the hand crafted creation over looking a spectacular view of the vineyard. Txakoli is a young wine, meant to be drank that same year. Making it different from other wines most people enjoy, never the less Txakoli is just as amazing. We saw the rolling hills and straight rows of grapes, which promote equal distribution of water and sunlight. The view was breath taking and paired beautifully with the young wine. It’s true what they say, wine is made in some of the most beautiful places on earth and we were able to learn and witness that very thing.
When our tour was finished, we explored the city and walked the path of the pilgrimage, which is a popular tour Catholics take through the basque area. We learned that those partaking in the pilgrimage walk an average of 27 miles a day. Through the walk, we could see more and more rolling hills which eventually lead to the beautiful beach. It seems that everywhere you turn, the views only get more and more breath taking. I don’t think a picture of words could truly describe just how gorgeous it is here in San Sebastián. One of the hills that sticks out in my mind the most was an Island shaped as a mouse. Our tour guide pointed out this natural creation, showing us another unique aspect of the beautiful country. Our tour guide has been so insightful, answering any question we can come up with. He makes our experience that much more educational while still having us experience everything San Sebastián has to offer. Although we’ve only been in San Sebastián for a week, I feel as though I’ve been fully immersed in the culture. Although it’s outside my comfort zone, I love being able to experience other people’s culture.