# Le Naturel Tinto (2024)

- **Producer:** Aroa Bodegas
- **Colour:** red
- **Type:** still
- **Grapes:** Garnacha Tinta, Tempranillo, Merlot
- **Region:** Navarra, Spain
- **Style:** Natural
- **Alcohol:** 13.0%
- **Average price:** €10
- **Vegan:** Yes
- **Contains sulphites:** No
- **When to drink:** Now
- **Serving temperature:** 12–14 °C
- **Aromas & flavours:** blackberry, strawberry, cherry, plum, violet

## About this wine

Le Naturel is crafted by Aroa Bodegas, a pioneering estate located in the Valle del Yerri within Spain's D.O. Navarra. Situated at the northernmost limit for red wine cultivation, the vineyards benefit from a unique microclimate sheltered by the Urbasa and Andia mountain ranges, receiving cooling influences from both the Pyrenees and the Cantabrian Sea. Aroa Bodegas is highly committed to environmental sustainability; their state-of-the-art facility is built underground to utilize gravity-flow winemaking and passive climate control, earning them the prestigious Wineries for Climate Protection certification. This wine represents a modern movement in Navarra to revive traditional, low-intervention viticulture.

## Interesting facts

- Produced with zero added sulfites, relying entirely on the natural preservation qualities of healthy, organically grown grapes.
- Aroa Bodegas is a pioneer in Navarra, utilizing a gravity-fed, underground winery design for passive temperature control.
- Awarded 'Value Red Wine of the Year' by Tim Atkin MW for its exceptional quality-to-price ratio.

## Food pairing

This fresh, unoaked red wine pairs exceptionally well with medium-weight dishes that feature bright acidity or moderate richness. Its low tannin levels and vibrant acidity make it highly versatile, allowing it to cut through the fat of charcuterie and roasted poultry without clashing, while beautifully complementing tomato-based sauces and even grilled oily fish.

## Wine making process

The winemaking process for Le Naturel is defined by a philosophy of minimal intervention. Grapes are hand-harvested from organically and biodynamically farmed vineyards, then sorted at the winery. Fermentation occurs spontaneously using only indigenous yeasts in large 12,000-liter vats, with absolutely no sulfur dioxide added at any stage. To prevent the over-extraction of harsh tannins, the grapes undergo a very short, static maceration of only five days without any pump-overs or punch-downs. Following a natural malolactic fermentation, the wine is kept entirely unoaked, resting briefly in stainless steel or concrete tanks before early bottling to preserve its pure, vibrant fruit character.