Navarra – Wines from the Basques

“It is a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma” When Winston Churchill made his famous remark about Russia, he could also have been talking about Spanish wines. For years, these wines were a complete contradiction. From the vineyards location, climate, weather patterns and all of the other natural and manmade elements that go into making great wines, Spain should have made some of the world’s finest; but they never did. Up until recent times, most Spanish wines were mediocre at best having never risen to their potential; but all that has changed. With the influx of modern grape growing and winemaking techniques, Spanish wine have now become a serious contender in the world of fine wines.
The northernmost Spanish grape growing district of Navarra, which borders France, is now producing outstanding wines from both the local grapes as well as the classical ones. This is the same area that is home to the fiery Basques and the famous “running of the bulls” at Pamplona. People with such temperaments also take their wines seriously, very seriously and Navarra’s latest releases unquestionably prove this out. The Marco Real winery is one of the wine makers of Navarra that is making great strides in producing some very upscale wines, while keeping them at affordable prices.

Marco Real 2009 Grarnacha Rosado ($11). The Marco Real winemakers have learned from the French and Californians how to temper the Garnacha’s tendency to go off on its own and sometimes detrimental path, which was probably the basic problem with many of the Spanish wines of old. Wine made from the Grarnacha or, as it is called in France and California Grenache, produces wines with high concentrations of fruit, tannin, and acids. The Marco Real 2009 Grarnacha Rosado has a friendly pink color which cradles the aroma of summer flowers and ripe red berries which carry over to the flavor where they mingle with a hint of cherries. This is a semisweet wine and should not be confused with the super sweet pink zinfandel’s. Marco Real 2009 Grarnacha Rosado can be a positive addition to any mealtime and will be a sure hit when served with almost any Spanish or Mexican fare.

Marco Real 2008 Tempranillo ($11). Marco Real 2008 Tempranillo is a handcrafted wine made from 100% tempranillo grapes and aged for over two years in oak barrels. The results of all of this tender loving care, is a wine of great depth and softness. There are many layers of fruit, stressing, plum, cherries, tobacco, vanilla, leather and herb with hints of vanilla and spice in the background. What is most noticeable is the soft and inviting velvety texture of this wine, which is derived from the long aging both in the cask and in the bottle. It is very rare to find such a well-made and well-aged wine for so low a price and is the perfect wine to accompany the full flavored Hispanic foods that have become so popular today.

Marco Real 2006 Reserva de Familia ($15). Marco Real Reserva de Familia is the Spanish version of an Italian Super Tuscan wine where they have substitute the native tempranillo for the Italian sangiovese and at a considerably lower price. Marco Real Reserva de Familia 2006 is a blend of 55% tempranillo, 30% cabernet sauvignon, 10% merlot and 5% graciano. Each wine is aged separately for 18 months in new oak barrels. After that the wine is blended and bottled then cellared for a minimum of 24 months prior to its release. This is a beautiful wine that displays a deep maroon color and the powerful aromas of cherries resting on a background of raspberries, cocoa, coffee with a hint of honey. The fruitiness carries over to the flavor where it melds together to form a complex of summer dark fruit flavors and oak which leads to a finish that is a work of art; long, fruity and intense making this a wine definitely not to be missed.