Txakoli (pronounced [tʃakoˈli]) or Chacolí (pronounced [tʃakoˈli]) is a slightly sparkling, very dry white wine with high acidity and low alcohol content produced in the Spanish provinces of the Basque Country, Cantabria and northern Burgos. Further afield, Chile is also a minor producer.
It is normally served as an aperitif and drunk within one year of bottling as it cannot be stored for longer. The most common, white, variety has a pale green colour, but there are red and rosé varieties. When served, it is normally poured into tall glasses from a height, often as an accompaniment to pintxos. It typically has between 9.5-11.5 ABV.
The 18th century Palace of Mendibile in Leioa near Bilbao today houses a museum dedicated to txakoli, the Museo del Txakoli, explaining the history of txakoli and with a large collection of machinery used for making it.
This wine is called txakolin (pronounced [tʃakolin]) in Basque,txakolina meaning "the txakolin". The term is attested from the middle of the 18th century onwards, occasionally also as a personal name. Traditionally the general form has been txakolin, although xakolin has been documented in Iparralde. Txakoli, considered a misspelling by the Euskaltzaindia, is attested from 1985 onwards. Derived forms are based on the root txakolin, for example txakolin-ardo (txakoli wine), txakolin-dantza (txakoli dance), txakolin-saltze (txakoli sale), txakolin gorri (red txakoli) or txakolin-etxe (txakoli house).