By: Kat Freyaldenhoven
For those of you who love great deals, Spanish wine is where it’s at!
Fun fact: Spain is one of the largest wine-producing countries in the world, but because the majority is used for distilling Brandy, they get booted behind France and Italy. Spain is the hidden gem of all wine regions if you ask me. With so many different microclimates to choose from, it makes for the ultimate wine-makers playground.
You can actually purchase really beautiful wines for a really beautiful price. Who’s not all about a good deal?
Many of us were trained to think that if a wine is at a lower price point, the quality must not be up to par, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Spanish wine is incredibly undervalued. I like to consider Spain as the new hipster neighborhood of wine. You know, like how really cool and innovative people go to old abandoned neighborhoods and breathe some life back into it through food, booze, and culture? Well, that’s exactly what’s happening in Spain. There is some really exciting renovation and restoration happening. Old vines, abandoned vineyards, and even entire regions are coming alive once again. Young winemakers are exploring and rediscovering old, nearly extinct grape varieties, and introducing us to some amazing new wine!
This is where we find ourselves with Vina Zorzal. Antonio Sanz began to create his own wine in the early 90’s after spending much of his life in the vineyards. Now he’s passed the torch to his sons who’ve begun The Vina Zorzal project in 2007. These young renovators set out for a rescue project in their region of Navara that tightly neighbors the famous historic appellation of Rioja.
With a passion for their region and a heart for restoration, they’ve restored nearly 70-year-old bush-vines back to life. Using Organic Sustainable Farming Practices, they produce single varietal wines with value, regional authenticity, and simplicity in mind. They desire their wine to speak for themselves and to be affordable for everyone! Win win!
The Vina Zorzal Garnacha is a dry farmed wine from bush vines coming out of extremely rocky soil. Dry farmed means no irrigation, causing the roots to struggle their way down through layers of stone in order to reach water. The hard work causes low yield, but the fruit is exceptionally complex. Spanish Garnacha (Gernech) is going to be pure and light, very similar to a Pinot Noir. If you enjoy the bold, power-punch Grenache from Chateaneuf-du-Pape, this might be an interesting change and worth the comparison in order to reveal just how much terrior affects the juice. For my friends who love a more natural wine, this is the wine for you. It’s hand harvested, uses wild yeast with spontaneous fermentation, has less than 0.15g of sugar per glass, has less sulfites than most wines, and is un-oaked. So, to all my health conscience, Keto, and Paleo wine lovers out there—this wine is your new best friend!
What can you expect?
Aromas of red fruit such as strawberry, raspberry, and dried cherry, with a little black pepper, and beautiful mineral characteristics.
What’s for dinner?
– Grilled Pork Chops
– Deer Stew
– Smoked Salmon
– BBQ Ribs
I hope you enjoy this wine as much as I do! Cheers!
Find Vina Zorzal at a liquor store near you.
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