Winemaker Notes
Clear, medium intensity, ruby colored wine. Clean, high intensity fresh aromas of black fruit such us blackberry, blackcurrant, also black pepper, cedar and earthy notes. Dry and fresh, soft tannins and medium body. Black fruit flavors, mineral hints and a long finish.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2021 Graciano, the first wine they produced at the new Viña Zorzal in 2007, was produced with grapes from the village of Corella to show the expression of the grape in the village. It is still approachable and fresh but more Mediterranean than Fitero, where they have a significant percentage of their vines. It fermented in 10,000-liter stainless steel vats with moderate extraction and matured in used French oak barrels of different sizes for nine months. It has 13.3% alcohol, very good acidity, an expressive nose of beeswax and honey intermixed with berry fruit and lots of aromatic herbs (vermouth!) and a lively palate with pungent acidity in the finish.
Rating: 91+
Graciano has been best known as a blending grape used in Rioja to add color, depth and perfume to Tempranillo. It also thrives in the nearby region of Navarra and a few dedicated winemakers in California and Australia are making singe varietal bottlings certainly worthy of checking out! Graciano’s black fruit and lush tannins make it a perfect pairing to grilled or smoked red meat, as well as game.
Just north of Spain’s famous Rioja region, Navarra excels in the production of full and fruit-dominant reds and good quality, dry rosés. Garnacha holds most of the land under vine, with Tempranillo coming in second place.