Navarra (DO)
Navarra is a Spanish wine region in the Navarra region. The cultivated area is 15,900 hectares. Since 1975 the area has the status of a DO ( Denomination of Origin ).
In 1900, the area cultivated on about 50,000 ha extending Then came the Phylloxera and destroyed a large part of the land. A turnaround came quite late. While in the Ribera del Duero wine-growing areas from 1985 knew a tremendous boom, Navarre seems to have overcome the downturn in the last few years. Where once engaged the pilgrims to Santiago de Compostela after crossing the Pyrenees, now re-grow vines. The wines from the best wineries can compete with wines from the Rioja quite; at prices that are often only half as high.
The rainfall is 480-660 mm / year, average hours of sunshine at 2200-2500 hours / year. South of Pamplona are five sub-districts that have the best conditions in terms of climate and soils:
- Baja Montaña,
- Ribera Baja,
- Ribera Alta,
- Estella
- Valdizarbe.
Varieties
The robust red variety Garnacha once covered 85 % of the vineyard. The change from the traditional production easier Rosado wines on modern red wine, the area continuously decreased to 45% until today. She considers herself especially in the hot south of the region. The proportion of rosé wines that offer great drinking pleasure for little money usually amounts to about 20 % of the total wine production of Navarre. Buoyed by the success of the wines from Priorat the interest of old Garnacha stocks has grown again. First varietal wines show the great potential of this grape variety.
The red grape Tempranillo was once found on just 5 % of the vineyard. Due to the quality initiative, their share has risen to over 27 %; it is the preferred variety for the production of high quality plants.
Although the red varieties Cabernet Sauvignon (about 9 %) and Merlot (about 6 %) found no good varietal red wines, but are of interest to a blending with Tempranillo.
The white Viura occupies only 5 % of the vineyard and the interest is increasingly shifting to the Chardonnay (about 2 %). The Rebsortenspiegel will be supplemented by the varieties Graciano, Garnacha blanca, Malvasia and Moscatel.