Viña Zorzal

Navarra spent a long time being associated mainly with rosé, which meant a lot of people missed what was happening with the region’s old Garnacha vineyards. Viña Zorzal has been one of the producers helping change that perception rather dramatically.

Founded by the Sanz family in Corella, the project grew out of a much larger family winery before shifting focus towards lower yields, native varieties and a stronger sense of place. Rather than chasing volume, the emphasis moved towards expressing Navarra through old-vine Garnacha, Graciano and other local grapes.

Garnacha sits at the heart of the range. The wines often show bright red fruit, herbs, spice and freshness rather than the heavier style people sometimes expect from warmer Spanish regions. There is a real sense of energy running through the wines, particularly the village and single-vineyard bottlings.

What makes Viña Zorzal particularly interesting is its role in the wider revival of Navarra. Old vineyards that might once have been overlooked are now producing some of the region’s most exciting wines, and the winery has become one of the names most closely associated with that movement.

Navarra increasingly feels like one of Spain’s most underrated wine regions. Viña Zorzal is a fairly convincing argument for why that probably will not remain true forever.