92 Points, Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate
“The varietal 2023 Garnacha was produced with grapes from different villages of Navarra—Corella, Cintruénigo, Fitero and Lerga—so, it’s a regional wine from grapes picked early to keep a low pH and fermented with 20% full clusters, then it was bottled early and unoaked. It has a bright ruby color and an expressive varietal nose, berries, flowers and herbs, with contained ripeness, 13.68% alcohol, a pH of 3.48 and 5.4 grams of acidity. It’s fruit-driven and fresh, juicy, tasty and with a tender texture, very easy to drink and an incredible bargain.”
Founded back in 1989, the overarching goal of Viña Zorzal is to rescue and promote the area’s indigenous varieties. They do this by meticulously dry-farming gnarly old vines throughout vineyards along the lower bank of the Ebro River, a distinct advantage when you’re trying to produce the freshest wines possible.
Their bread and butter is Garnacha (Grenache). I have had a few from this great winery now and they all share some of the same characteristics – they’re bright and fresh with tons of energy and pure, juicy fruit. They have some good weight, but they’re not heavy. Instead, they’re all medium- to full-bodied efforts that dance in the glass while still remaining light.
This newest release is the perfect intro if you haven’t had these wines, and if you have, this is what you love and look forward to its return.