WINES OF NAVARRA AND ARAGON

The Ebro river basin is the frame where we place the wine-producing regions of Aragon and Navarra. All wines produced in this territory share both its extensive historical presence and its increasing prestige, even though, there is a number of differences between them.

The D.O. Navarra has faced during the last decades the difficult venture of finding a personality that defines it against the huge power of the neighbouring D.O. Rioja. The first option was betting on light rosé wines made with garnacha grape, taking hold of the fresh wines’ market, suitable for social drinking and summer meals. However, with the appearance on the market of other region’s quality wines, the region found itself having to start producing vintage red wines, with such grape varieties as the above mentioned garnacha, tempranillo, cabernet sauvignon and others, always finding to be different from the neighbouring Rioja wines, with remarkable success in many cases. Another way was creating youthful garnacha wines through carbonic soaking, the same way of the popular French Beaujolais.

After a long way, wines from Aragon have become, by their own merits, in a referent in the Spanish wine market. There are four regions under denomination of origin: Campo de Borja, Cariñena, Calatayud and Somontano. The last one is the most well-known.

The D.O. Somontano covers a region of the province of Huesca, between the foothills of the Pyrenees and the river Ebro. Throughout the last years, it has become one of the most attractive regions for wine-lovers thanks to, on the one hand, to the remarkable quality of most of its wines and, on the other hand, to the huge variety of the wines produced there. It is not easy to label this region, since both white, red and rosé wines show a great level. Let’s say, moreover, that the prices are really competitive, performing an excellent quality-price ratio. Its red wines, elaborated with garnacha and tempranillo or the local varieties moristell or parreleta, and also in the last years the successful French grapes, show great structure and bouquet richness. They are excellent and their future prospects are assured. The white wines are also using foreign grape varieties (chardonay, gewurtztraminer...), which improve those white wines characterized for the fruitness given by the use of the traditional grape macabeo and the freshness and acidity given by the native variety alcañón. The most important wine cellars (Enate, Viñas del Vero or Bodegas Pirineos) are becoming a reference in the competitive wine market.

The D.O. Campo de Borja spreads out to the lands of river Ebro in the province of Zaragoza. This area, like others in the region, has a wine-producing tradition dating back to many centuries ago. Red and rosé wines made with garnacha (according to the D.O. regulations a fifty per cent of this variety is obligatory) are balanced, bodied wines, energic but singular, with a balanced alcohol presence. Rosé wines and Viura white wines are fruity and show a beautiful colour.

The D.O. Calatayud is placed on the southwest of the province of Zaragoza. Its wines are lighter and with a lower alcoholic presence than other neighbouring regions’ wines. Also here garnacha is the main variety, together with other French and Spanish grapes.

Also situated in the province of Zaragoza, the D.O. Cariñena is one of the most ancient in Spain and the oldest in Aragon. Even in the Roman times wine was produced in this region. Apart from the strong, high alcohol content traditional wines in this region, in the last years some fruity and tasty well-balanced wines with a lower alcohol content, much more suitable for the modern consumers’ tastes, are increasing their production. Again, the main variety is garnacha, blended with other grapes that give new shades to the tradicional wines. All innovations in the region are reflected in an increase of sales both in national and international markets.