Itxas Harri Beltza 2020
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This flavor profile is the result of the vineyard planted to the native Garnacha and Tempranillo grapes on well-drained, gravelly limestone soils in an ancient seabed at 385m in the Monteagudo village. Beltza is an elegant, lower-alcohol, refreshing wine that pairs beautifully with the grilled artichokes and vegetables for which Navarra is so famous.
On its own, or paired with a Mediterranean meal, Beltza is fruit-forward, bright, and crushable.
Itxas Harri, located in the village of Monteagudo in the northern Basque region of Navarra, was the dream of Ignacio Ameztoy and his long-time friend and winemaking partner, Iñaki Guelbenzu. Navarra is considered the garden of Spain for its top quality produce such as asparagus, piquillo peppers, artichokes, and sheep milk cheeses like Roncal and Idiazábal as well as the Txistorra sausage. Inspiration for Itxas Harri grew over the years with Iñaki (who is from Navarra) and Ignacio repeatedly visiting the area, searching out the best local ingredients. Iñaki is a Basque gastronome with an encyclopedic knowledge of the region, and their frequent dining trips grew into an intense appreciation for the quality of the local ingredients, which are legendary in northern Spain.
Exceptional, uncomplicated ingredients and their ability to elevate the dining experience when paired, was the inspiration for Itxas Harri. They seek to bring the rich Basque food and wine experience to the home pantry through accessibility and an unpretentious presentation of their regional wines. Itxas Harri, which roughly translates to “sea stone,” are Basque table wines made by two friends, honoring the food memories and relationships made at the communal table.
Inspired by the ability of wines from Navarra to pair well with vegetables and fish, they learned from older farmers in the area where the best plots could be found, with the goal of making delicate, expressive wines to compliment hard-to-pair vegetables, like the local artichoke. Finally, he was able to convince a retiring farmer to sell him 2ha of old vines in the right location.
With hundreds of red grape varieties to choose from, winemakers have the freedom to create a virtually endless assortment of blended red wines. In many European regions, strict laws are in place determining the set of varieties that may be used, but in the New World, experimentation is permitted and encouraged resulting in a wide variety of red wine styles. Blending can be utilized to enhance balance or create complexity, lending different layers of flavors and aromas. For example, a red wine blend variety that creates a fruity and full-bodied wine would do well combined with one that is naturally high in acidity and tannins. Sometimes small amounts of a particular variety are added to boost color or aromatics. Blending can take place before or after fermentation, with the latter, more popular option giving more control to the winemaker over the final qualities of the wine.
How to Serve Red Wine
A common piece of advice is to serve red wine at “room temperature,” but this suggestion is imprecise. After all, room temperature in January is likely to be quite different than in August, even considering the possible effect of central heating and air conditioning systems. The proper temperature to aim for is 55° F to 60° F for lighter-bodied reds and 60° F to 65° F for fuller-bodied wines.
How Long Does Red Wine Last?
Once opened and re-corked, a bottle stored in a cool, dark environment (like your fridge) will stay fresh and nicely drinkable for a day or two. There are products available that can extend that period by a couple of days. As for unopened bottles, optimal storage means keeping them on their sides in a moderately humid environment at about 57° F. Red wines stored in this manner will stay good – and possibly improve – for anywhere from one year to multiple decades. Assessing how long to hold on to a bottle is a complicated science. If you are planning long-term storage of your reds, seek the advice of a wine professional.
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.