The flavor of crushed gravel in wine of Navarre
Discover the of Navarre wines revealing the of crushed gravel flavor during the olphactive analysis (nose) and during the gustative analysis (mouth).
Navarra, in northern Spain, is one of the country's 17 first-level administrative regions (comunidades autónomas) and a fairly prolific, if lesser-known, wine region. Traditionally associated with the production of Bright, Fruity rosé, Navarra is beginning to attract attention for its high-quality red wines, mainly from the Tempranillo, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot grapes, after years of being overshadowed by its southern neighbor, Rioja. The first evidence of wine-making in the region dates back to Roman times, but it is almost certain that Vines were growing here Long before that. It was recently discovered that vines of the prehistoric species Vitis sylvestris - the predecessor of the beloved Vitis vinifera - were still growing in Navarre.
After the Romans, vine cultivation continued under the Moors and then expanded considerably under Christian rule. The demand for wine was boosted by Catholics making the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage to the shrine (now a cathedral) of Santiago de Compostela in Galicia, where, according to tradition, the remains of the apostle St James are buried. The 14th century was a period of prosperity for Navarre and the number of vineyards multiplied to the extent that restrictions had to be imposed to ensure that enough land was given over to cereals to feed the local population. Demand received a further boost at the end of the 19th century when France was hit by Phylloxera.
Last year, Cláudio Martins and Pedro Antunes caused a stir in the Portuguese wine trade when they unveiled a €1,000 talha wine from Alentejo. It was the most expensive non-fortified wine to emerge from Portugal’s shores, retailing at almost double the price of Douro icon Casa Ferreirinha Barca Velha. That wine was named Jupiter. Now Martins and Antunes have followed it up with Uranus, a red produced in Moreira del Montsant in the Catalan region of Priorat. It comprises 85% Garnacha Negra Peluda, ...
In the last board meeting of 2021 for the regulatory council of DO Terra Alta, in Catalunya, Spain, a long list of changes was approved. The most prominent was the making of a very strict certification system for wines that are 100% Garnatxa Blanca given that it’s their flagship grape variety. But perhaps the most interesting item is a bit further down the list that allows certification for a type of wines that in Catalan are called “vins brisats”. The name refers to white wine ...
After a two-year hiatus imposed by the global pandemic, the International Organisation of Vine and Wine (OIV) is hosting its 43rd annual congress this week in Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico. There is a sense of celebration among participants, but the joy of sitting around the same table again is clouded by urgency and worry as the industry faces significant challenges. The congress, a key event in the wine industry’s calendar, brings together a unique mix of stakeholders, including producers, ...