Wine Industry Report

The New York Times and The International Herald Tribune publish two articles underlining the quality of wines made under the appellation

Red wines under DO Navarra from vintages between 1999 and 2005 were showcased at a tasting attended by writeres from The New York Times and the International Herald Tribune, both of which enjoy international distribution. “We found many enjoyable wines that we would not hesitate to drink. The good ones balanced the fruit with acidity”, declares Eric Asimov, wine writer from New York.

“Sometimes the results of modern blending are promising”, announces Asimov in an article under the title ‘Navarra reds gain in quality’ for the Herald Tribune and ‘Navarre toasts a wider world’ in The New York Times. To back his statement, he offers two examples: ‘Viña Sardasol Reserva 2000’, made from 50 percent Tempranillo, 30 percent Cabernet and 20 percent Merlot; and ‘Javier Asensio Crianza 2000’, made from 50 percent Cabernet, 30 percent Merlot and 20 percent Tempranillo.

The tasting was also attended by Florence Fabricant, cuisine specialist for The New York Times and managers from a number of the city’s Spanish and Mediterranean cuisine restaurants. In addition to the above, they also enjoyed ‘Santa Cruz de Artazu 2002’, notable for its “good structure”; ‘Arteaga Crianza 2001’, “light, fruity and easy to drink”; ‘Ribera del Queiles 2003’, “balanced, juicy and refreshing”; ‘Minotauro Azul 2004’, “earthy, well-knit and refreshing”; ‘Señorío de Sarriá Viñedo No.9 2001’, ‘Gran Feudo Reserva 2002’, ‘Alzania Crianza 2002’ and ‘El Chaparral 2005’.

The article wraps up with the following statement: “Despite the various combinations of grapes, we didn’t find a lot of variety in the wines. The profile was narrow, the range small. For now, at least, the bottom line on Navarre reds is good value”.