We're going on an Italian hiatus this
week and taking a short jaunt over to Spain to discover the Navarra.
Spain has always been a top country selection for me in terms of
value along with Italy. I was introduced to these wines by my
blogger friend Susannah of Avvinare that is partnered with the
Navarra DO so I was fortunate to sample through an array of wines
including white and red wines.
The Navarra is located in northern
Spain between Madrid and San Sebastian. The Pyrenees are found to
the north and it's also in close proximity to the Ebro River. There
is such a variety of topography between the Pyrenees, the Bardenas
Reales desert and the Bay of Biscayne to the south. There are even 3
different types of climates as well including continental, Atlantic
and Mediterranean. These are all major influences on the Navarra as
a winemaking region.
The Navarra DO was established in
1933. About 11,000 hectares are under vine and a small portion of
those are vines are 30+ year old. The wines of this region are
primarily red totaling about 60% with rose' wines coming in at 30%
and whites only at 10%. This area had always been known for it's
rose' production. Majority of the wines produced (70%) are native
grapes including garnacha and tempranillo mostly as well as others
including viura, graciano and carinena. The other 30% are
international grapes including cabernet sauvignon and merlot mostly
with syrah, chardonnay and pinot noir.
Reading wine labels in another
language can always be tricky. Here are some terms that will help
you determine the aging of the wines:
- Cosecha – a young wine
- Tinto Roble – minimum of 90 days in the barrel
- Crianza – minimum of 24 months aged with 9 months in the barrel
- Riserva – minimum of 60 months aged with 12 months in the barrel
- Gran Riserva – minimum of 60 months with 18 months in the barrel
- Dulce Natural – sweet wine
2015 Bodegas Nekeas Vega Sindoa Tempranillo
- Located in the Valley of Valdizarbe this wine is made of 100% tempranillo. An easy drinking wine with fresh blackberries, a hint of licorice and spice. SRP $9. ABV 14%
- Located in the town of Corella in the Ribera Baja this wine is produced with moscatel de grano menudo grapes, or easier said moscatel. Pale yellow in the glass this wine had a very aromatic nose. It was clean, enjoyable wine with notes of peaches. ABV 12.5%
- Ruby in color. A medium bodied, dry wine with baking spices, vanilla, cherries and plums with a decent finish. ABV 13.5%. SRP $9
- Deep red in color this wine is made of 100% graciano. It's a soft wine with rich fruits of plums, cherries and currants paired with some black pepper and a hint of minerality. ABV 13.5%.
- 100% garnacha. Deep ruby red with lots of fresh red fruits with notes of vanilla. Easy drinking and a moderate finish. ABV 13.5% SRP $13
2015 Bodegas Ochoa Tempranillo/Garnacha - Made of 70% tempranillo and 30% garnacha. Purple tinge demonstrating a younger wine. You get the tannin from the tempranillo and the ripe berries of the garnacha. SRP $15. ABV 13%.
The Navarra DO recommends pairing
these wines with the abundance of vegetables produced in the region
including white asparagus and fire roasted piquillo peppers. Game,
meats and lamb are a good selection for the hearty reds as well as
foie gras, charcuterie, and shepherd cheeses of the region (roncal
and idiazabal).
Between the variety of soils,
landscapes and microclimates there are a variety of wines for
everyone to enjoy from this region and at great price points that
won't break the bank. And if you need another reason to visit this
region they are known for the running of the bulls in Pamplona. Now
that would be a site to see!
*These wines were received as samples,
but opinions are my own. Information and pictures sourced from the
Wines of Navarra and Bodegas Ochoa.
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