Another super Azul y Garanza Suelovivo, a Tinto from the "living soil"

Another super Azul y Garanza Suelovivo, a Tinto from the "living soil"

Azul y Garanza Suelovivo Tinto Wine of Spain 2022, 13% ABV

(Like its white "cousin", this Suelovivo is also available at Sonas of Newcastlewest)

Another wine, this time a red one (Tinto), from the living soil (suelo vivo) cared for by Azul y Garanza. The vineyards are located in the Bardenas Reales Natural Park in Navarra. A huge commitment to biodiversity leads to wines of pronounced purity and this blend, of Garnacha, Tempranillo and Garnacha Blanca, is another excellent example.

The colour is a light ruby, of the Gamay kind. Aromas are fresh and inviting, think strawberry and floral. The palate is full of uncomplicated fruit, light and lively, and very natural. If the weather is warm, you may even chill it (a little). Certified organic and easy to drink, it is well worth a try. Pairings recommended include tapas, casseroles, grilled meat and grilled veg. But first for me would be as an aperitif and then try one of the others, if you have any Suelovivo left!

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Check my growing list of top wines for 2023

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Another Highly Recommended gem from Azul v Garanza. Importer Mary Pawle knows this winery well and visited there this month. The harvest was in full swing still and there's quite a gathering for that.

 The winery, in Carcastillo, had been built in the 1940s but was closed down in the eighties. Azul y Garanza (Maria, Dani, and Fernando, a dynamic trio) bought it in 1999 and slowly converted the abandoned cooperative building into a fully operational winery.

“It has long, narrow cement tanks with small dimensions, ideal for gentle and delicate fermentations, like infusions, which translate into friendlier and more elegant wines. And having a great many small tanks instead of a few large ones allowed them to separate the grapes by variety and origin in that way preserves the highest quality must.”

That cricket on the label? In the vineyard, you can’t see the cricket, but you hear it.

You can’t see the soul of a living soil (Suelo Vivo), but you can feel it.

We enjoyed the white version a few weeks back. To save you clicking around, I've copied it below:

original post 09.10.2023

Beautiful organic wine from the living soil of the Azul y Garanza vineyards.

Colourful cricket!

Azul y Garanza Suelo Vivo blanco (Wine of Spain) 2022, 13% ABV.

RRP: c. €20.00. Stockists: Sonas Newcastlewest; Mary Pawle Wines

In the vineyard, you can’t see the cricket, but you hear it.

You can’t see the soul of a living soil (Suelo Vivo), but you can feel it.

That’s the line on the label of this delicious organic wine from Azul y Garanza. Colour is a light straw, quite hazy in the bottle and glass. Aromas are delicate, of the citrus kind, with hints of fennel in the background. Quite a complex palate, with peach, apricot, yellow plum and citrus in the mix, a very refreshing melange indeed.

Highly Recommended

A new wine, certified organic, but already getting praise: “fun summertime wine”, “perfect everyday wine”, “the fruit shines”, “a refreshing beast”, “soft yet generous”, and the beer accolade of “crushable”. You can't see the soul but you sure can taste the body!

It is a blend with 90% Garancha Blanca and 10% Moscatel. The vast majority of Garnacha Blanca (or Grenache Blanc) is grown in Spain (Herencia Altes a top choice) and France (look for Ferraton and Chapoutier). It can produce full-bodied wines that go well with bigger fish such as tuna.

The Azul y Garanza vineyards are located in the Bardenas Reales Natural Park in Navarra. A huge commitment to biodiversity in the vineyards leads to wines of pronounced purity. This particular example is a pure wine from a living soil (Suelo Vivo) that is in harmony with nature.