The autonomía of Navarre (which is also the name given to its DO) is situated to the northeast of La Rioja, its more famous neighbor, and the majestic Pyrenees, located along its northern border. This is a region that is perhaps made most famous by Ernest Hemingway in his novel The Sun Also Rises, in which Pamplona’s ‘Running of the Bulls’ during the San Fermin Festival is vividly described.
As a wine region, it has traditions dating back as long as Rioja’s, and their histories are slightly intertwined. Located along the famous pilgrimage route, Santiago del Compostela, the region became more known for its quantity of wine rather than its quality. Like Rioja, the region benefited from increased sales when phylloxera decimated French vineyards, until Spain’s vineyards fell prey too.
Many growers replanted their vineyards with international varieties at that time, such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, and winemakers today claim these grapes as the traditional varieties to the region, along with the red grapes Tempranillo and Garnacha, the latter of which is responsible for Navarre’s delicious pink wines.
Navarra only continues to get better as a wine region. There has been a great influx of modernization and expertise, thanks to the establishment of EVENA, the local oenological research institute, and there has been new attention given to identifying and demarcating the many and varied terroirs, from the cooler foothills of the Pyrenees to the warmer, alluvial regions of the south.
Sources of additional information on DO Navarra:
