It feels like a paradox that Basque culture – and therefore the wines the Basques make – is so vivid, energetic, and fresh. Basques compete with Georgians for the claim of oldest culture in Europe. They had already been fishing in the bay of Biscay for thousands of years when Phoenecian traders first introduced grape vines to the Iberian peninsula, and when the Romans came to claim the land of people they called Vascos, they met people who spoke Euskera, still spoken in the streets of San Sebastian. No one knows for sure when the Basques started making wine, but they have always had it with seafood, and it has always tasted like it came from the sea too. Hondarrabi Zuri is the chief grape, and the small valley behind the seaside port of Getaria is the chief region for these sea-spray soaked wines. Rezabal’s version is utterly classic,  with aromas of basil, flint, acacia, lemon blossom and beach all crusted with salt. The palate is an electric charge of acid, filled with lemon and lime notes, salted yellow plum and rosemary. For best results, pair this wine with Basque inspired small bites from the sea.