2021 Agramont Graciano Navarra

Some wines are so undeniably good that they are worth the additional effort. Not with drinking it, this is a pop-the-cork, and I cannot wait to taste it, because it smells good before the wine is in a glass kind of wine. The effort in giving a little additional context to the wine. I have been known to ramble, so let me talk about the wine first and then to the context. The aromatics of this wine are great. Charming is the adjective that I reach for first. Bright cherry fruit, that jumps out of the glass. To me it falls in a sweet spot between tart and sweet, cherry pie filling, that is slightly darker in tone and without the syrup and sugar. It is not one dimensional, there are soft background herbal tones. But like when it comes to pie, you don't want to sit there and marvel over the aromatics, you give it a big sniff and then you dive into it. It is just as rewarding on the palate and the nose. The fruit pops! It has a pretty high note and then it settles into a very mellow, darker fruits. It is medium-full bodied, but not heavy. The structure that the varietal is famed for gives this wine a lot of energy. It has moderate tannins that are very well managed especially for a wine in this price point, they are present, help build the wine out but not assertive nor astringent. There is good acid here too, but it is not tart, just refreshing. This is a wine that does not require a meal, but I absolutely want it at the dinner table. The balance of this wine will let it pair with almost everything. With the weather getting cool, braised anything sounds great to me.