Getariako Txakolina Wine Festival is one of the wine festivals that anchors the Basque Country calendar, drawing both local visitors and international wine travellers each year. It is held at Getaria in Gipuzkoa, in the heart of one of Spain's most distinctive wine areas. It has been running since 1989, with a long unbroken local tradition behind it.
The Getariako Txakoli Festival is the Basque Country's most important wine event, drawing producers, sommeliers and visitors to the coastal village of Getaria each January for the official presentation of the new Txakoli vintage. The programme includes pourings from around 30 Txakoli houses (most family-run estates with vineyards on Atlantic-facing coastal slopes), masterclasses on the Hondarrabi Zuri grape and the traditional pouring technique (escanciado from a height), pairings with Basque seafood and pintxos, and accompanying programmes at the local Cofradía de Pescadores. The wine is poured into wide glasses from a height of 50-60 cm to aerate the lightly sparkling wine. Wine festivals across Europe typically combine producer tastings with food pairings, live music, and a strong sense of place. Visitors can expect access to wines from a range of producers in the appellation, alongside food stalls offering regional specialities, masterclasses or vineyard walks for those who want to learn more, and an opportunity to buy directly from producers at cellar prices. Many events run across multiple days or weekends, allowing visitors to sample different parts of the programme according to interest, and combine well with the area's wider tourism offer. The event is organised by Getariako Txakolina DO, which sets the tone and direction of the programme each year.
The Basque Country (Euskadi/Pais Vasco) in northern Spain produces three Txakoli (Txakolina) wines under separate DOs: Getariako Txakolina (Gipuzkoa), Bizkaiko Txakolina (Biscay) and Arabako Txakolina (Alava). Txakoli is a lightly sparkling, dry, high-acid white wine made from Hondarrabi Zuri, traditionally poured from a height to aerate the wine and pair with Basque seafood. The Rioja Alavesa sub-zone of Rioja DOCa is also in the Basque Country, on the south side of the Sierra de Cantabria. Bilbao and San Sebastian (Donostia) are the urban centres.
The 2026 edition is scheduled for January 18, 2026. Cost details: Tasting glass and ticket pack required. Full programme, ticketing and updated information are published on the official site at https://getariakotxakolina.eus. Visitors are advised to check directly with the organiser for the latest schedule, as festival programmes are sometimes updated close to the event date.
The Basque Country is reached via Bilbao or San Sebastian airports, with strong rail and road connections from France to the north. Getaria and Zarautz on the coast are the main bases for Getariako Txakolina; the inland wine areas of Bizkaia and Alava are reached via Bilbao and Vitoria-Gasteiz. Basque cuisine pairs the wines with pintxos (in San Sebastian's Parte Vieja, often considered the world's best pintxos scene), Txuleta beef, kokotxas, idiazabal cheese and the Michelin-starred restaurants that have made San Sebastian a global gastronomic capital.
