Wine Travel

The Navarra Wine Region of Spain...

In early November the bus ride between Pamplona and Olite yields rolling hills covered with vineyards infused with the colors of fall...

Vegas Wine News visits the wine region of Navarra, Spain...

Navarra does not have the reputation of its famous neighbor to the west, La Rioja. Still, this ancient land has a long and storied history of producing wine that goes back to the time when the Romans farmed the land. Despite many changes that have recently modified wine production in the area, the region remains deeply rooted to its rural past and represents an unspoiled jewel in our modern world. Navarra has retained the same culture and charm that once enchanted Ernest Hemmingway, who became so inspired by the area that he fixed the setting for his epic novel, “For Whom the Bell Tolls”, in the foothills of this land.

Old Ernest also spent considerable time in Pamplona, where he became fascinated the Festival of San Fermin, more commonly known as the running of the bulls. This event takes place annually in July. Pamplona, with a population of about 200,000, represents the largest city within Navarra, and makes a good starting point for exploring wine country. Although Pamplona is not situated within the Navarran wine county per se, the town of Olite, considered the center of winemaking in the region, lies only about 30 miles south of the city.

Before going further, please note a few tidbits of information when reading a Spanish wine label. The word “tinto” appearing on the label usually connotes a simple red wine that has undergone no special aging process and basically represents the lowest rung on the quality scale. This does necessarily mean an inferior wine, just that the bottle contains a rather basic, simple red wine. The designation “crianza” means that the wine has been aged in wood for at least two years. The designation “Reserva” denotes at least three years of aging in barrels, and the words “Gran Reserva” shows the wine has aged at least five years. Most often, the increased aging time means a higher quality and a more expensive bottle.

Classified within the Spanish system as a “Denominacion de Origen” or simply DO, Navarra has attained the second rung of the wine rating scale for the country. To date, only three regions, La Rioja, Ribera del Duero and Priorat, have achieved the top status of Denominacion de Origen Calificada, or DOS. Obtaining the premium designation involves many factors, one of which is that the wines of the region cost, on average, twice the amount of the wines produced in a DO region. To its credit, most of Navarra’s wine sells for a fraction of wine produced in the neighboring DOS region of La Rioja. The reasonable price structure of its wine represents one of the factors in Navarra not receiving the accolade of the DOS ranking.

The Navarran wine country is roughly shaped like an inverted triangle, with the upside-down base of the triangle situated just south of Pamplona. The primary wine area contains five wine producing sub-regions. Lying to the northwest of the inverted base of the triangle, the zones of Tierra Estella and Valdizarbe endure strong climatic influences from the Atlantic, making them best suited for growing Chardonnay and the Spanish grape, Valdizarbe. Baja Montana is another sub-region situated to the northeast, and known best for its rose’ wines. More than half of Navarra’s wines are produced from grapes grown in the central region of Ribera Alta and the southern most region of Ribera Baja. Both sub-regions have a reputation for producing powerful, extracted, deep colored red wines. As one proceeds further south in Navarra, the climate generally becomes drier, the growing season warmer, and the vineyards’ soil turns to sand, limestone or chalk.

The Navarra tourist board has a new website that assists potential visitors, www.rutadevinodenavarra.com . The site provides good insight into locating wineries, known as bodegas in Spain, hotels, restaurants, maps and other wine touring related matters of interest. Unfortunately, the site currently reads only in Spanish. It notes that it is under construction, so perhaps an English translation will appear soon.

As another good source of information about the area, the regulating council for the Designation of Origin for Navarra publishes a brochure detailing many facts about wine touring in the region. This publication designates four distinct routes for wine touring in Navarra, and describes the highlights of each wine trail. Located in Olite, you may reach the council by consulting their website at www.vinonavarra.com , or, when in Spain, by telephone at 948-741-812. Note that my following descriptions of the four routes represent only a very cursory review these excursions. Before taking off on your own, you should obtain a detailed map of the area and consult a local expert about the roads and terrain you might encounter on your adventures.

Beginning in Pamplona, the St. James route, generally running along highway N-111 towards Logrono, takes one through the Valdizarbe and Tierra Estella wine zones, and features the charming Basque town of Estella, along with many historical churches and monasteries that dot the route.

The Mountain Route explores the Baja Montaña sub-zone. To reach it from Pamplona, take highway N121 towards Tafalla and then head southeast on N132 in the direction of Sanguesa/San Martin de Unx. The drive features rolling countryside with oak groves and vineyards, punctuated by small towns, some of which contain some fantastic remnants of their medieval past.

The Royal Route lies due south of Pamplona, and by taking N121 and continuing on past Tafalla you will reach the important wine town of Olite, which lies generally at the center of the Ribera Alta region. This excursion features walled enclaves, medieval castles, towers and palaces that provided shelter for the ancient Navarra royalty.

The fourth and final drive, the Ribera del Ebro Route, essentially a southern extension of the previous journey, takes one to the banks of the Ebro River and into the broad arid plains that produce some of most powerful wines in Navarra. Here, you may visit the small town of Corella, with its beautiful Baroque buildings, or stay the night in Tudela, the largest town in the Ribera Baja sub-zone. The town has an eclectic past, and the architecture reflects Gothic, Baroque, Romanesque and Moslem influences.

Departing from the bus in Olite feels a little like getting off a time machine that took you back about 500 years into the past. The town is very small, and I saw very few people walking about. A huge castle, completed in the early 15th Century, completely dominates the town. It seems almost surreal that it should exist in such a little village. But once upon a time, Olite served as the capital of the Kingdom of Navarra, and this castle housed the region’s rulers. Now, the town serves as one of the principal sites of the wine industry in Navarra. Several bodegas have established their facilities in Olite, including Ochoa, Pagos de Araiz, Marco Real, Vega del Castillo, and Piedemonte. Most of these bodegas allow for touring, but some require an advance reservation. A few have elaborate shops similar to those found in California wineries, where visitors may purchase local products in addition to wine.

I had a great experience while visiting the Vega del Castillo bodega. Appearing somewhat modest on the exterior, this attractive bodega features a large open room with a high, beamed ceiling, and showcases artwork, many locally produced foodstuffs, such as cheese and jams, and, of course, all the wines produced at the estate. Vega del Castillo produces a large portfolio of wines, ranging from the basic to the Reserva. They pride themselves on combining the traditional quality of the region infused with modern winemaking technique. They have ample bottles available for tasting. . Most bottles sold for less than $20.00. Along with the castle, Vega del Castillo represented another unexpected but impressive surprise in this village…

The staff operating this bodega were some of the friendliest people I met in Spain. Most did not speak English, but somehow we communicated just fine. After a few minutes, Jorge Eraso, a sales manager, arrived on scene. Mr. Eraso did speak English, and gave me an impromptu tour of the premises along with an explanation of the full line of Vega wines. Some of the many wines produced at this estate include the Alcor (a Muscatel), Chardonnay, the Blanco (a Chardonnay, Muscatel and Viura blend), a Rose’ from Cabernet Sauvignon, a Garnacha, a Tempranillo, a Cabernet Sauvignon and a Merlot. Their most special wines, in my opinion, are their Reserva (a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Tempranillo), the Llavero (a crianza made mostly from Cabernet Sauvignon), the Merak and limited edition Dubhe, both red blends of the best local grapes. The diversity in the wines produced at Vega del Castillo reflects the wide-ranging wines produced in this region.

Olite’s wine museum offers another interesting destination for wine lovers. It focuses on the history of winemaking in the region. The museum employees can provide help in finding local bodegas to visit. Olite does have a tourist office, but on the day I visited (during the mid-week in the fall), I found it closed. They have a website, should the potential tourist want information pertaining to Olite prior to a visit; oit.olite@navarra.es .

Unfortunately, I had a limited amount of time while in this part of Spain, staying in Pamplona for only two nights. Wine tourists on a short vacation should probably pay a visit to Olite, considered the wine capital of the Ribera Alta region. Traveling from Pamplona to Olite by bus is easy and inexpensive. Buses leave regularly from Pamplona, and cost only about $12.00 round trip. You travel through some lovely countryside on the short trip, so try to get a window seat if at all possible. I went in the morning during the week and the modern bus had plenty of open seats.

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Olite’s main square, with the castle in the background...

Historically, Navarra produced mostly rose’ wines. Going back as far as the kingdom of Navarra, beginning in the Middle Ages, the region became heavily influenced by its neighbor to the east, the Bordeaux region of France. Grapes normally associated with Bordeaux made their appearance into Navarra vineyards early on, and this trend has accelerated in recent years. This gives Navarra a plethora of different wine varietals. Many of the modern wine cuvees include grapes often associated with France, such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, as well as the more traditional Spanish varietals such as Tempranillo and Garnacha. It all makes for some very interesting wine possibilities.

As to Hotels available in the town, two seem to stand out. The Hotel Parador offers true elegance, at a price well-above other local hotels but still much less than similar accommodations would cost in Madrid or other major western European cities. The Parador uses part of the town castle as its own facility, so if you want to spend the night in a place with a lot of history, look no farther. Rooms begin at about 150 euros per night, depending on the season. The Hotel Marindad also has fine rooms oozing with the old-world charm that encompasses the entire town. Most of the rooms are priced in the 100 euro per night range.

Remember that Olite is a quiet town in the Spanish countryside, and aside from a few nice restaurants, lacks any type of real nightlife. On the other hand, if you are touring Navarra by car and want to sample a variety of nice wines at reasonable prices in the atmosphere of a medieval village, it represents a great place to spend a night.

Some further notable Navarran wineries not previously mentioned include the following bodegas: Artazu, Señorio de Sarria, Nekeas, and Guelbenzu. Renown wine critics Robert Parker and Wine Spectator Magazine have given favorable reviews to many wines produced by those establishments. As far as quality recent vintages in Navarra, look for wines from the excellent 2001 and 2004 vintages, or the very good 2003 vintage.

Jorge Eraso, the gracious manager at Vega del Castillo...

The end of the line...The bulls’ journey through the streets of Pamplona ends here at the bullring...

For more photos of the Navarra region, turn to the next page...