The flavor of gooseberry in wine of Navarre
Discover the of Navarre wines revealing the of gooseberry 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.
The Francs de Pied (Ungrafted Vines) group, which last met two weeks ago at Pasquet’s Liber Pater winery in the Graves, consists of a growing circle of vignerons who work with ungrafted vineyards planted to native varieties. The list includes Francs de Pied president Loïc Pasquet himself, vice-president Egon Müller (Mosel), and secretary Andrea Polidoro of Cupano (Montalcino) and Contrada Contro (Marche); as well as Gocha Chkhaidze of leading Georgian winery, Askaneli; Thibault Liger-Belair (Bur ...
It’s easy to forget that the southern Rhône’s four most prevalent red varieties aren’t indigenous. Grenache, Carignan and Mourvèdre all appear to originate from Spain; Syrah made its way down the river from the northern Rhône. Of the long tail of other grapes, most have their roots closer to home. Plantings have dwindled in recent years, but today local varieties are experiencing renewed interest. One that’s finding a lot of fans – both in the Rhône and further afield – is Counoise. Scroll down ...
The Alsace-based group is France’s biggest wine exporter and the biggest private winemaker in the country, with 68 properties spread across the country. It is also the largest exporter of French wine, accounting for around one in every six bottles sold in international markets, with brands including Calvet and J.P. Chenet. The company, whose full name is Les Grands Chais de France, recently shifted its strategy in a bid to become a global wine producer with estates in a variety of premium wine r ...