Viña Zorzal Bakan 2024

Viña Zorzal is a Navarra producer known for reviving forgotten vineyards and grapes, and Bakan is built on Mazuela, the Spanish name for Cariñena, with a small share of the white grape Viura blended in. Mazuela holds high acidity and firm tannin even in warm sites, and the cool nights of the Navarra hills preserve that freshness while the days ripen the fruit. The Viura softens the blend and adds a little aromatic lift, an old regional practice of co-fermenting white into red. Eight months in oak barrels rounds the texture and allows a measured oxygen exchange that knits the tannins together without dominating the fruit. The wine is bright ruby. The nose is fresh and red-fruited, with strawberry, raspberry and a peppery, herbal edge, while the palate is medium bodied and lively, the acidity framing fine, savoury tannins and a light vanilla trace from the wood. The finish is clean and dry. Serve at 16 degrees Celsius, and it pairs well with grilled red meats, pork and mushroom dishes.