Bilbao's El Arenal has transformed into the epicenter of Biscayan wine culture this weekend, hosting the second edition of the Txin Txin Fest. The event, which saw a significant turnout on Saturday and concludes this Sunday, brings together 22 wineries and more than 60 txakoli references, serving as a prime showcase for «one of the most emblematic products of our territory».

This gastro-cultural festival, organized by the Bizkaiko Txakolina Designation of Origin in collaboration with the City Council of Bilbao, the Provincial Council of Bizkaia, the Basque Government, and Laboral Kutxa, offers guided tastings by professionals, Idiazabal cheese tasting, live music, and children's workshops. The initiative aims, according to its promoters, to «bring txakoli closer to both local and visiting audiences», a goal successfully achieved on its opening day.

During the festivities, actress Fariba Sheikhan was named Mezulari 2025, symbolizing her role as the ambassador for Bizkaia's txakoli this year. The official uncorking of the new vintage was led by Davide Dall'Amico, sommelier at the restaurant Mina. Dall'Amico described the harvest as a high-quality product that faithfully reflects the region's landscape and climate. He noted the 2025 txakoli's moderate color «with green reflections» and its nose as classic, with «white flowers, apple, pear, very fluid, very fresh».

Iñaki Suárez, technical director of the D.O. Bizkaiko Txakolina, corroborated this view, explaining that the wine perfectly reflects a growing season marked by milder temperatures. Suárez highlighted the return of txakoli's characteristic acidity this year, its «Atlantic soul», and praised the professionalism of the territory's 167 winegrowers for transforming challenges like climate change and biological threats into opportunities to produce «our great treasure».