Pago de Otazu

Styles

Terroir

• Valley between Sierra de Sarbil and Sierra del Perdón, on the banks of the Arga; mean altitude 430 m (402–451 m).
• Valley-floor microclimate: Mediterranean climate with strong Atlantic influence; winters with more than 100 days of intense cold.
• The cierzo (NW wind) promotes vineyard health and prevents heat-stress temperatures in summer.
• Soils developed over Quaternary deposits: three types (Fluventic Haploxerept, Typic Calcixerept, Calcic Haploxerept), all with high carbonate content and pH >7.5.
• Stony, deep soils with loamy texture, organic matter <2%, good permeability, no salinity or erosion.

• The winery was built in 1840 following its separation from the urban centre; the pago was recognised as a Vino de Pago in 2008 after being registered under the DOP Navarra.
• Phylloxera reached Navarra around 1892 (first phylloxerated vine in Echauri, 1896), reducing the vineyard area of the Cuenca from 2,700 ha to 300 ha by 1906.

• Slow ripening (10–15 days later than other vineyards) generates aromatic complexity, fresh acidity, and greater bottle longevity.
• The stony, calcareous soils impart a mineral character to the red wines, with stable colour and a balanced interplay of alcohol, acidity, and structure.

• Summer diurnal temperature swings fix colour and aromas; the ripening cycle is 12–15 days slower than in the rest of the region.

Facts drawn from the cahier's terroir-link section (Lien au terroir) by automatic interpretation — see the the specification.

Sources

• eAmbrosia register (EU) — File number PDO-ES-A0184
• Official trade body site — Otazu — D.O.P. Pago de Otazu