Welcome, Viña Zorzal Wines

On this occasion we are happy to introduce you to the new friends of Enbotella that will surely give a lot to talk about... the wines of Viña Zorzal!

The family winery has its origins in 1989 when Antonio Sanz laid the foundations of the current project. In 2007 the Sanz brothers (Iñaki, Xabier and Mikel) took over the reins of their father's winery and reinvented the project.

As a curiosity, the name of the winery alludes to the beautiful bird that inhabits the forests of the area and often flutters among the vines.
Their wines are mainly found in the DO Navarra, although they also produce a few references in the DOCa Rioja.

The vineyard and its climate

The vineyards of the DO Navarra which are the ones we are dealing with in this article are located between the Ribera de Ebro and the Sistema Ibérico, in the towns of Corella and Fitero.

The character of the wines is clearly marked by the continental climate of this area of Navarra, with extreme winters and summers, strong winds and low rainfall. The result is tasty and elegant wines that surprise us with their upward progression every vintage.  

Respect for the environment and indigenous varieties

The winery's philosophy is carried through to the vineyard where viticulture is carried out organically and with the minimum necessary intervention.  In the winery this respect for the grapes continues, fermentations are spontaneous, no filtering or fining is carried out and the addition of sulphur is kept to a minimum.

Autochthonous varieties at Viña Zorzal

From the beginning, Viña Zorzal Wines has made a clear commitment to the local varieties that are best suited to the terroir.

First with the Graciano variety, with which they have earned a reputation for honest, juicy wines that have been widely acclaimed by critics.
Later with Garnacha, with which they make 2 parcelarios from old vines recovered, Viña Zorzal Malayeto and Viña Zorzal Corral de los Altos.

* Vines aged 140 years old from which the señora de las alturas is made.

New projects: Collaborations with other winemakers

The winery Viña Zorzal Wines, restless by nature, in its eagerness to innovate and create unique wines, has been collaborating with national and foreign winemakers in the elaboration of plot wines.

• In 2016 the collaboration was with the illustrious Aragonese winemaker Jorge Navascués, winemaker at "Pago de Ayles" and "bodegas Cvne" among others. Jorge is currently part of the winemaking team at Viña Zorzal.
• In 2018 it was the turn of Matías Michelini winemaker in the Uco Valley (Argentina) of the homonymous winery "Zorzal Wines". The winemaker shares a vision of winemaking with the Sanz brothers: respectful winemaking, in which fruit takes centre stage ahead of oak. On a chance visit to the winery in Navarra, he was impressed by the vineyards and together they developed the "Pequeñas Puertas" project, very limited productions of very special wines.

And without further ado... the wines of Viña Zorzal!

We would like you to get to know their wines and first of all we will tell you about their "entry-level" wines from Viña Zorzal Wines, which have become the flagship of the winery due to their excellent value for money. Taste them and you will see what we are talking about...

Viña Zorzal Chardonnay 2020

This is the only foreign variety they make, but it is perfectly suited to the Fitero area. It is a young wine, with very pleasant aromas of citrus fruits, pineapple and a subtle touch of honey. It is dry, fresh and very refreshing on the palate, perfect for the summer season! ?

Viña Zorzal Garnacha Blanca 2018

91+ P.Parker This wine is made using only the "yolk must" obtained after a gentle pressing. The aim is to harvest this variety early in order to obtain a fresher wine. Part of the wine is aged in 500 litre French oak barrels to give it more volume. Aromas of apple and white flowers and a crisp acidity stand out on the palate.

Viña Zorzal Graciano 2019

91 Parker

Village wine from Corella, varietal with little extraction to avoid the astringency of this variety. This Graciano shows great aromatic intensity, highlighting aromas of red fruits, spicy notes from the 9 months ageing in oak barrels and that characteristic earthiness. On the palate it is fleshy and balanced, with a fresh acidity and a mineral and persistent finish.

Viña Zorzal Garnacha 2019

91 Parker

Young wine from vineyards in the historic region (Corella, Cintruénigo and Fitero).

Whole bunches of 20% of the grapes are used in the winemaking process to provide structure and acidity. This vintage has a marked Mediterranean character, with aromas of red fruits and aromatic herbs.

Viña Zorzal Rosado 2020

Varietal of Garnacha made in the traditional way in Navarra by the bleeding method. A fragrant wine dominated by aromas of strawberries and raspberries. These lead to a fresh and dry mouth, slightly bitter, where we appreciate grapefruit and pink pepper and a fine and persistent aftertaste.

And finally their most exclusive wines, Los Vinos de Parcela:

Malayeto 2018

94 Parker

Farm wine from 35-year-old Garnacha vines of which only 11,000 bottles are produced. Elegance and minerality merge in this perfectly balanced wine. Very fine, well-integrated tannin from ageing in 4,000-litre Foudres and oak barrels for 9 months.

Señora de las Alturas 2018

95 Parker

Wine from centenary Grenache parcels with very low yields. Alcoholic fermentation is carried out in 500l. open barrels and malolactic fermentation and subsequent ageing in new French oak barrels. It is a round wine, with silky tannins, and very expressive with aromas of red and black fruit, fig leaf and spicy touches over a mineral background.

Only 1,300 bottles of this very special wine that is undoubtedly among the best national garnachas.