"Before there was wine, there was a thing called happiness ..." says an attractive, charming man standing in a circle of similarly well dressed, attractive Spaniards off the lobby of the Union Square W Hotel. Not quite sure the context of the quote, yet it appears to be a typical example of the cultural emphasis Spaniards place on being upbeat and charming at all times.

.... so I am here at the W to explore the mysteries of wine from Navarra, typically known for its bright, cheerful rose wine (typically the color of a cherry-colored life saver) and now eager to be known for its supple reds, elegant whites, and sweet dessert wines of various price points and quality. The Kingdom of Navarra has come to Manhattan for at least the past three years, always with an excellent showing of their wines for the trade and journalists, and a very educational seminar for the same.

Navarra

Terroir of Navarra

In previous years, the emphasis has always been on the terroir, which is enormously varied. Beyond the different soils you will find a variety of climates and microclimates which all have an impact on the flavor of the grapes. Robin Kelly O'Connor, moderator and Director of Sales & Education at Sherry-Lehmann Wine Merchants & Immediate Past President of the Society of Wine Educators, terrified the few Master Sommelier and Master of Wine students in the audience when he said to pass these intensive diploma programs one must know the five sub-regions of Navarra. Not just the names of the regions, but their individual terroirs, the grapes planted in each, the styles employed by the winemakers, etc.

They are:

Baja Montana (highest and wettest, with the latest vintage)
Ribera Alta (produces finest wine, one of two most important regions, white dominated)
Ribera Baja (hot and dry, the other important region, Garnacha centered)
Tierra Estella (fruity rosados from Tempranillo)
Valdizarbe (small region, dry climate)

International Varieties

If you see wines from Navarra in wine stores, you may wonder why the region has so many international varieties such as Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignan. They are bottled as single varietals, as blends with each other, and blended with the native grape Tempranillo.

Much of today's lecture served to underscore that international varieties have not been suddenly planted, but rather, have been brought to Navarra for centuries by a succession of invaders from the south and finally Rome. A cousin of Cabernet Sauvignon, for example, had been there for centuries.

Tempranillo and Garnacha (Grenache) still reign, yet you will find Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Vijura, Graciano, Moscatel, and others.

Tasting

Personality

Another focus of today's talk was to communicate that Navarra is very interested in having journalists and wine lovers appreciate its unique personality and style. Because it had been known for Garnacha and rosado wine in the past, many people still think of these wines when they think of Navarra. And though Navarra is part of Spain, its producers want to underscore that it has its own unique personality and style. 

Observations

White wine from Navarra is incredible. The Sauvignon Blancs as a whole are crisp, yet fuller bodied as they are aged on the lees. The Chardonnays are quite varied, yet the very best have an incredibly rich nose redolent of succulent ripe tropical fruit and a full, supple body. You will also find well-crafted 100% Merlot (a great example was the Bodegas Castillo de Monjardin Deyo Merlot 2005), the 100% Syrah (Bodegas y Vinedos Alzania 2005), and sweet white wines made from Moscatel (picked very ripe, with fermentation stopped to keep residual sugar) and a richer style made with botrytized grapes as is made in Sauternes.