Four wines from Aroa Bodegas make it to Tim Atkin MW's Top 100 Navarra
Tim Atkin MW has just released his first ranking of Navarra wines, which is great news for this region, a paradise of “diversity and the Garnacha variety.” Beth Willard, Decanter editor and Spanish wine expert, curated this list, where Aroa Bodegas made an impressive debut with six wines scoring between 91 and 96 points, with four of them landing in the Top 100.Among Aroa's wines in the top hundred, the standout is Le Naturel Reposado 2013 with 96 points, earning a spot on the podium as the "Red Discovery of the Year", a wine slated for a second release in autumn this year. Regarding it, Willard wonders, "Who said a natural wine can't age? (...) The charm and freshness of this wine after ten years are impressive.” Due to its extremely limited production, comprising just a few hundred bottles, this reference will be marketed on a quota system.
Following closely on the list is Le Naturel Lakar 2020, which earns 94 points, crafted from a small and exceptional vineyard of centenary Garnacha located in the town of the same name. Le Naturel Blanco 2023, a white version of high-altitude Garnacha, scores 93 points. Aroa Jauna 2021, with 92 points, is the only wine on this list where Garnacha is not the main protagonist but is blended with other varieties to produce a 'classic with a twist' aged wine. Outside of that exclusive hundred, yet still boasting outstanding scores, are Le Naturel Pet Nat 2021, awarded 92 points, Aroa Mutiko 2021, awarded 92 points, and Le Naturel Tinto 2023, achieving 91 points.
These stellar ratings for our project, deeply committed to biodiversity and the environment, affirm that exceptional wines can be crafted by staying true to the land and embracing natural viticulture, where nature herself acts as the ultimate winemaker.