3 Riberas

Styles

Principal grape varieties

Terroir

• The climate results from the confluence of three climatic types — continental, Mediterranean, and Atlantic — which generates a degree of climatic variability across the different production areas.
• Rainfall ranges between 700 and 450 mm depending on whether one is in the northernmost or southernmost part of the zone, with a number of rainy days ranging from 100 to 70.
• The mean annual temperature range is around 19°C, with averages of 25°C in July and 4–5°C in January, and the growing seasons favourable for the vine range from 218 to 245 days depending on the area and the variety.
• The river terraces of the Ega, Arga, Aragón, and Ebro valleys are composed of unconsolidated gravels, sands, silts, and clays.
• In the vine-growing production areas, soils with clays and limestones predominate, alongside soils with clays and sandstones, with some presence of gypsum in certain zones.

• In the early fifteenth century, when the court established at Olite took an interest in viticulture, Teobaldo I introduced new techniques that improved quality, and it is from this period that the earliest documents on racking and ageing of wine date.
• Phylloxera reached Navarra in 1892 and, five years later, had destroyed 49,000 of the 50,000 hectares of vineyard then in existence, which were subsequently replanted with American rootstocks.

• The wines are characterised by a balanced nose and palate, good body, and good ageing potential.
• These are wines with a high actual alcoholic strength, above 11% vol., with well-preserved acidity and adequate polyphenolic ripeness, which promotes high aromatic intensity and depth of colour.

• The low organic matter content and high permeability of the soils, together with their elevated carbonate levels, favour the attainment of high alcoholic strengths and good preservation of acidity.
• The influence of the cierzo wind keeps relative humidity low, minimising diseases such as downy mildew and powdery mildew and ensuring good grape health, which translates into wines that are clean in aroma, colour, and flavour.

Facts drawn from the specification's terroir-link section by automatic interpretation — see the specification (pliego de condiciones).

All appellations in Spain

Sources

• National pliego de condiciones (PDF)
• eAmbrosia register (EU) — File number PGI-ES-A0128
• Official trade body site — Gobierno de Navarra — IGP 3 Riberas