Terras do Navia

Styles

Principal grape varieties

Terroir

• The climate of the area is oceanic, transitioning toward Mediterranean, with a mean temperature of 21 °C in July–August and 7.5 °C in January, and marked summer aridity.
• The vineyards are situated almost entirely between 200 and 500 metres of altitude, on slopes oriented mainly to the south and south-west, enclosed between mountains that exceed 1,000 metres.
• Annual rainfall estimated at an altitude of 450 metres is 650 mm, according to the meteorological stations closest to the zone.
• The soils are mostly moderately acidic, permeable, with low water-retention capacity and low organic-matter content in the topsoil, being old and of sufficient depth.
• Geologically, the Navia basin is composed of Lower Palaeozoic metasediments, with a substrate of slate, quartzite, and granitic outcrops from the Hercynian period, and generally presents a loam or sandy-loam texture with good drainage.

• Traditional training and pruning systems tended toward low, gobelet-trained vines with a wooden stake and medium planting densities, in order to adapt better to the environment.
• The white variety Branco Lexítimo receives special mention because it reaches its fullest expression here, with a balance of acidity and alcohol and an abundance of terpenes that enable the high aromatic intensity of the white wines.
• Among the red varieties, Merenzao stands out — without being the most widely planted — producing wines with a deep colour without losing finesse and with a high anthocyanin content.
• The use of harvest crates or other authorised containers is essential to preserve grape quality from vineyard to winery, reducing the risk of uncontrolled maceration and fermentation.

• The white wines display a yellow colour with greenish hues, floral and fresh ripe-fruit aromas, and on the palate are structured and broad with citrus notes on the finish.
• The red wines show a medium-high colour depth, red with violet highlights, aromas of ripe fruit, and on the palate a dominance of red fruits with a slightly tannic finish.

• The oceanic climate transitioning toward Mediterranean, with marked summer aridity and a wide diurnal temperature range, favours the accumulation of phenolic and volatile compounds that contribute to the colour, aroma, and flavour of the grapes and wine.

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

All appellations in Spain

Sources

• Specification (EUR-Lex, single document)
• National pliego de condiciones (PDF)
• Mapa de Parroquias de Galicia (IET, Xunta de Galicia) — © Xunta de Galicia – Instituto de Estudos do Territorio (IET), Mapa de Parroquias · CC BY 4.0
• eAmbrosia register (EU) — File number PGI-ES-02787
• Official trade body site — AGACAL — IXP Terras do Navia