Regional profile: Navarra, Spain
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This diverse region struggles to compete against Spain's most powerful brand, Rioja. Is it time to forgo the emphasis on 'serious' red blends and international whites so that its native varieties can come to the fore? Adam Lechmere reports...
Six top Navarra wine buys
Artadi, Bodegas Artazu, Santa Cruz de Artazu 2009
19/20pts (96/100pts)
£29.95 Berry Bros & Rudd
80-year-old Garnacha from 750m vineyards. Perfumed nose with black cherry and damson, sandalwood and floral scents. Complex, mineral palate, dry tannins exploding into juiciness, bright acidity. Delicious.
Drink 2014-2020
Alc 14%
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Domaines Lupier, La Dama Garnacha 2009
19/20pts (96/100pts)
£25.99 AG Wines
From 75-to-100-year-old vines, perfumed, tarry nose with sweet black cherry fruit. Tannins ripe and nervy, fruit lifted, acidity brisk. Elegant and complex.
Drink 2014-2020
Alc 14%
Nekeas, El Chaparral Old Vines Garnacha 2011
17.5/20pts (91/100pts)
£9.99 Majestic
Tar and liquorice on the nose, leading to fresh, bright, lifted red cherry and ripe plum fruit and bracing acidity, held up by structured tannins.
Drink 2014-2015
Alc 14%
Ochoa, Gran Reserva 2005
17.5/20pts (91/100pts)
£20 Evingtons, Fine Wine Co, Magnum Wine Co
This Tempranillo-Merlot- Cabernet blend has a lovely fresh nose with hints of tar and green notes of tobacco leaf. Acidity very fine with sour-sweet black fruit, and structured, grainy tannins.
Drink 2014-2018
Alc 14%
Inurrieta, Cuatrocientos Crianza 2010
17/20pts (90/100pts)
£10.99 Christopher Piper, Hayward Bros, Vineyards of Sherborne
Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Graciano from 400m-high vineyards. A nice leathery, sweet plum nose, and on the palate lots of blackberry, some cassis, cedar and spice. Very soft, integrated, well-structured tannins and a dry, food-friendly finish.
Drink 2014-2015
Alc 14%
Bodega Camilo Castilla, Capricho de Goya Moscatel 2009
18.5/20pts (95/100pts)
£19 Haslemere Cellar
Aged for three years in glass demijohns, a superb, intensely sweet raisined nose, with a palate of dried apricots, peach and honey, balanced by salinity and fine acidity. Mouthwatering, unctuous and opulent.
Drink 2014-2018
Alc 15%
Adam Lechmere is consultant editor of Club Oenologique among other things.
Formerly launch editor of Decanter.com, which he edited until 2011, he has been writing about wine for 20 years, contributing to Decanter, World of Fine Wine, Meininger’s, the Guardian and many others. Before joining the wine world he worked for the BBC, and as a music and film gossip journalist.