K5 Argiñano
K55 Hondarrabi Zuri Sobre Lias Txakolina – 2018
Region: Spain - País Vasco
K5 Argiñano
Bodega K5 Argiñano is a modern vineyard estate located on a hillside near the Basque village of Aia at 1000 feet above sea level overlooking the Cantabrian seaports of Zarautz and Orio. Founded in 2005 by Spanish celebrity chef Karlos Argiñano and four partners, the objective is to showcase the noble and age worthy quality of the indigenous Hondarribi Zuri and its ability to produce extractive, super-dry, mineralic whites worthy of the finest table. The ultra modern, gravity-flow bodega (designed by the famous architectural firm Alonso & Balaguer) is ideally matched to its environment and offers fabulous views of the surrounding countryside and seacoast. Thirty-eight acres of Hondarribi Zuri are dry farmed in slate and granite soils with yields limited to under 2 kilos per vine. To compensate extremely low pH levels, the wine is aged six months on the fine lees for complexity.
The Wine
Vineyard Profile
Estate vineyards near the Basque village of Aia, overlooking the Cantabrian seaports of Zarautz and Orio, D.O. Getariako Txakolina.
- Altitude: 300 meters
- Vineyard Area: 15 Ha
- Soils: Shale, delaminated slate, granite
- Vine Training System: Trellis
Harvest Notes
- Rainy winter with 1000mm precipitation in January
- Drier spring
- Mild summer led to later harvest with extremely healthy fruit and flavor development
- Hand harvested with strict berry selection
- Cold prefermative soak at 61º F for 8 hours
- Fermentation in small stainless steel tanks with only indigenous yeasts
- Aged 11 months in tanks on lees at controlled temperature
Winemaker's Notes
Bright, crystal clear, pale greenish yellow with a lemony sparkle. Intense aromas of fruit and minerals. Subtle hints of white flower and fruits like apple and winter pear, with a salted background that binds it to the Cantabrian Sea. Round and full in the mouth with a touch of glycerine and fresh acidity for a complex, bracing finish.
Wine Summary
100% Hondarrabi Zuri; alcohol: 12%; estate vineyards near the Basque village of Aia near the Cantabrian Sea, D.O. Getariako Txakolina at 300 meters; soils of shale, laminated slate and granite; hand harvested with strict berry selection; 8 hour cold soak at 61º F; fermented in small stainless steel barrels using only indigenous yeasts; aged 11 months on lees at controlled temperature.
Technical Information
- 100% Hondarrabi Zuri
- Alcohol: 12%
Reviews
90 Points
The 2018 K5[5] is their eighth vintage, by then from 12-year-old vines on slate and granite soils. The idea was always to age the wine with the lees to polish the acidity, which is quite high and also a key player in the wine’s aging potential. It fermented with indigenous yeasts and matured with the lees for 11 months. The 2018 feels young and a little riper, with more integrated acidity and a softer mouthfeel, perhaps easier to understand but not as sharp and vibrant as other cooler vintages. It has aromas of white fruit and a citrus touch, with a gentle palate. 2020 – 2023
Bodega K5 (previously known as Five Mahatsondo) was created in 2010 by three friends—Iñaki Burutxaga, Juanjo Landa and Karlos Arguiñano, a well-known TV celebrity chef. The wines are under the charge of winemaker Lauren Rosillo, who is also from Martínez Bujanda and Sedella.
© Wine Advocate, August, 2020
General Info
| COUNTRY | Spain |
| REGION | País Vasco |
| APPELLATION | D.O.C. Getariako Txakolina |
| PROPRIETORS | Karlos Argiñano and four partners |
| FOUNDED | 2005 |
| WINEMAKER | Lauren Rosillo |
| ANNUAL PRODUCTION | |
| FARMING (SUSTAINABLE, ORGANIC, BIODYNAMIC) |