Señorío de Arínzano wine estate, which once was the jewel of the Chivite family, was acquired by SPI group in 2015. Controlled by Russian millionaire Yuri Shefler, the holding’s main asset is vodka brand Stolichnaya.
The estate comprises 355 hectares of land, 125 of which are under vine. It lies on the Navarra subregion of Tierra Estella, a 30-minute drive to Pamplona, on a valley divided by the Ega river. Sustainable viticulture is practiced in cooperation with WWF/Adena, which designed a nature conservation programme. The estate was awarded the Vino de Pago classification in 2007.
The range of wines has been redesigned in order to give more weight to Tempranillo, In fact, the brand's top red Gran Vino de Arínzano (€100 in Spain) is now a Tempranillo single-varietal wine. Tempranillo is also the main ingredient in La Casona (€30) blended with 25% Merlot and there’s also a Merlot single-varietal organic red (€43).
The top white is Gran Vino de Arínzano Chardonnay (€90). Experiemntal work with Chardonnay has resulted in a ‘trilogy’ consisting of Pureza (€47), a Chardonnay aged in a spherical concrete tank; Armonía (€47), which combines ageing in new and second-use French oak with clay amphorae; and Eternidad (€200), a vintage blend in the style of a solera.
The entry-level range under the Hacienda de Arínzano brand includes two cuvées, a Chardonnay and a Tempranillo, both retailing at €18 in Spain. There is also the rosé A de Arínzano (€16), made from Tempranillo
Thanks to its location, climate and soils, Arínzano has all the necessary ingredients to craft fine wines with aging potential. The estate deserves a visit, not only for the beauty of the landscape, but also for the architectural value of the old church, manor house and spectacular winery designed by award-winning Navarra-born architect Rafael Moneo.
