Home Winners > Winners 2019 > SPAIN: North (including Navarra & Txakoli)

Winner Details

Spain: North, including Navarra & Txakoli

2019 GOLD: 2      SILVER: 4      BRONZE: 3      COMMENDED: 7
2018 GOLD: 2      SILVER: 4      BRONZE: 5      COMMENDED: 6

The make-up of the entries in this flight has changed down the years. We used to get a fair number of well-priced reds from Campo de Borja and Calatayud, and some sleeker offerings from Somontano. But now this part of the Sommelier Wine Awards is increasingly about Navarra and Txakoli.

The rise of the latter has been intriguing, but not that surprising, perhaps. Super-fresh and mineral, they’re very foodie (dare we say ‘sommy’ wines), and with their lack of oak they’re not too big a stretch stylistically for more adventurous consumers reared on natural wines and craft ciders.

This, rather than Navarran Chardonnay, seemed to be our more popular white style, though Navarra put in a decent performance with sub-£10 reds this year, which was good to see.

FROM THE TASTING TEAMS

‘I liked the Txakoli the most. It is something different, between classic and modern.’ Virginia Fontò, La Trompette

‘There were some interesting wines here, and some that were really elegant, and good by-the-glass options, with food-friendliness. They started at £7 or £8 and went up to £18, and there were good options throughout that range.’ Markus Dilger, Dilger Sommelier Selection
‘Spain is probably regarded as the most dynamic country in Europe, but in embracing that modernity it has to be balanced.’ Christopher Delalonde MS, The Dorchester

‘This was a very good flight, with the entry level showing character and typicity, while at the £10 mark they were all very good. Spain and Italy both offer fantastic value. Their wines drink well on their own, but they’re also more food-friendly than ever.’ Marco Marcuzzo, Aster Restaurant

Award winners

Found 16 wines

Spain: North, including Navarra

Hiruzta, Txakoli 2018, Geteriako Txakolina, Spain

Gold medal winner

‘An engaging wine,’ began Prestonfield House’s Dave Cushley in praise of this Gold winner, before describing it as ‘dry and zippy, with slight petillance, and some sweet pear and intense green fruit notes’, while team leader Carlos Ferreira found notes of ‘fresh green apple and lime juice’. ‘A classic style of Txakoli, light bodied, vibrant and refreshing,’ agreed D&D’s Diana Rollan, who found it ‘grassy and mineral with intense citrus notes’, making it ‘great with oysters’.

£11.86 Hallgarten & Novum Wines

Boutinot, Brisa de Verano, Garnacha Tinta 2017, Aragón, Spain

Gold medal winner Pub & Bar

For team leader Angela Reddin this Gold medal winner offered ‘lots of soft squashy summer berries, refreshing acidity and a very soft, gentle finish’. Fellow team leader Christopher Cooper described it as ‘juicy, light and quaffable, with cherry, plum and chocolate’ and equally impressed Markus Dilger of Dilger Sommelier Selection simply called out for ‘grilled pork chops please’.

£6.55 Boutinot

Chivite, Colección 125, Reserva 2012, Navarra, Spain

Silver medal winner

Marco Marcuzzo of Aster Restaurant noted: ‘Complex fruit notes of red plum and blackberry mix with finely judged oak intensity, bringing sweet clove and spice. The broad tannic structure is in balance with the alcohol and the finish is nicely balanced with acidity.’

£18.27 Enotria&Coe

Ochoa, Lla Foto de 1938, Crianza 2014, Navarra, Spain

Silver medal winner

‘Dark cherry and plum with chalky tannins, across a herbaceous palate of dense fruit, with notes of earth and leather and bright acidity,’ noted Marco Marcuzzo of Aster Restaurant.

£9.31 Davy's Wine Merchants

Gorka Izagirre, Txakolí 2017, Bizkaiko Txakolina, Spain

Silver medal winner

‘Beautiful nose,’ said team leader Carlos Ferreira, ‘very aromatic and fresh.’ La Trompette’s Virginia Fontò added: ‘Citrus notes and very floral too. Expressive white peach aromas leaded to a concentrated peach palate with balancing acidity. Very good value for money.’

£10.50 Boutinot

Bodega de Sarría, Señorio de Sarría, Reserva 2012, Navarra, Spain

Silver medal winner

With notes of ‘capsicum pepper, plums, liquorice and coffee beans’, Markus Dilger of Dilger Sommelier Selection suggested this ‘chocolatey, juicy and smoky wine’ would match well with ‘grilled steak’.

£9.20 Boutinot

Chivite, Colección 125, Chardonnay 2015, Navarra, Spain

Bronze medal winner

‘Creamy and intense with quince, butter and toasty notes,’ began D&D’s Diana Rollan, adding: ‘A big, opulent style with good concentration and balance. Finishes with a nice minerality to the creaminess. Could work well with green curry.’

£27.06 Enotria&Coe

Finca Albret, El Balcón 2015, Navarra, Spain

Bronze medal winner

For team leader Angela Reddin this had notes of ‘raspberry and kirsch’, and ‘a nice crunchy bite of fruit with decent tannins held in check, and a refreshingly light, fruity finish’.

£8.99 Alejandro´s Wines

Finca Albret, La Viña de mi Madre 2014, Navarra, Spain

Bronze medal winner

This was clearly a winner for team leader Angela Reddin, who noted: ‘A lifted nose, perfumed with violet and peony; the crushed blueberry, plum and black cherry fruit flows beautifully across the palate, sustained and very long. The finish is excellent with pinpoint precision.’

£13.99 Alejandro´s Wines

Chivite, Finca de Legardeta, Chardonnay 2017, Navarra, Spain

Commended medal winner

£11.53 Enotria&Coe

Chivite, Finca Legardeta, Selección Especial 2015, Navarra, Spain

Commended medal winner

£11.62 Enotria&Coe

Príncipe de Viana, 1423, Reserva 2014, Navarra, Spain

Commended medal winner

Príncipe de Viana, Edición Limitada 2015, Navarra, Spain

Commended medal winner

£7.72 Moreno Wines

Finca Albret, Lastra 2014, Navarra, Spain

Commended medal winner

Pago Calzadilla, Calzadilla Classic 2011, Castilla-La Mancha, Spain

Commended medal winner

Pagos del Moncayo, Prados, Colección, Garnacha 2016, Aragón, Spain

Commended medal winner