Soft, earthy/aromatic reds

 

Descriptor: fresh, vibrant red and black fruit—especially berries—with moderate tannins, aromatic notes of Christmas spice and licorice

Basic factors influencing this style:

• Varietals: Tempranillo, Garnacha, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Graciano, Mazuelo (Cariñena)
• Terroir: warmer climate in Ribera Alta, Ribera Baja; loamy-clay, marl, sand and limestone
• Winemaking: wine spends little or no time in oak barrels, focusing on the fruitful expression.

 

Goes well with cured meats, cheese and light appetizers

 

These are the classic reds of Navarra, the region’s most plentiful category, encompassing a broad range age categories—including young, unoaked joven wines, moderately oaked wines labeled as “roble”, which means “oak” in Spanish. What unites these wines is their overall approachability in style. Seldom do these wines see any new oak. Typically, these are blends anchored by native varieties, Tempranillo and Garnacha chief among them, usually supported by non-native varieties, especially Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, for added structure, concentration, and finesse. (Occasionally, native varieties Graciano and Mazuelo will join their more widely planted cousins in these soft red blends; rarer still, though in many ways perfectly suited to the region, are experimental single-varietal Pinot Noir bottlings).