Pago de Arinzano is one of Spain's estate-specific Vinos de Pago. It was the fifth Spanish vineyard to be granted VP status but the first to be outside Castilla-La Mancha. Pago de Arinzano is in the Navarra autonomous community. It is near a village called Aberin and lies 25 miles (40km) southwest of Pamplona, or 100 miles (160km) southeast of Bilbao, putting it right in the heart of Navarra. The estate makes a single wine under its VP status.
Winemaking can be traced back to the 11th Century, when the land was owned by the nobility. The current estate was planted in 1988 by the Chivite family, and was then known as the Senorio de Arinzano. Within 10 years of the vineyard being planted, the family started lobbying Navarra's Consejo Regulador wine authority for recognition and to be made distinct from the overall Navarra DO, as they believed the estate to be unique from the rest of the region. Thus when VP regulations were introduced, the estate applied immediately. It received VP status in 2007.
Pago de Arinzano occupies a valley formed by the very edge of the Pyrenees mountains. The Ega River winds through the vineyard, helping to create the unique microclimate of the estate. The Ega has a moderating effect on temperature and protects the vineyard from the extreme heat and cold in summer and winter respectively. The North Atlantic is to the northeast, and the ocean's influence on the climate is strong. The area experiences significant diurnal temperature variations, making it ideal for high-quality grapes as they have a slow ripening period. The soil of the pago (property) is made up of a complex mixture of loams, sand, limestone, limonite, gypsum and dolomites, all of which add to the unique character of the wine. The entire estate occupies 877 acres (355ha), but only 316 acres (128ha) is covered by the VP classification and thus able to contribute to wine labeled as Pago de Arinzano.
Pago de Arinzano cultivates Cabernet Sauvignon, Tempranillo and Merlot, which it combines to produce a single wine. This is typically Tempranillo dominant, followed closely by Merlot and then Cabernet Sauvignon (which is occasionally omitted). Arinzano, as the wine is called, tends to be dense, intense and complex, with a long minerally finish. It is suited to medium-term cellaring.
In the vineyard, all bunches are hand-picked and then double selected to ensure only the best fruit is used.
The estate's bodega (winery) was designed by renowned Spanish architect Rafael Moneo from environmentally friendly materials, in keeping with the vineyard's philosophy, which is continued through all of its vinicultural and viticultural procedures. The bodega is state-of-the-art, all gravity fed and temperature controlled. As a requirement of VP classification, all vinification, aging and bottling must be done on site.
The site is also home to an 18th-Century mansion constructed by the Marqués de Zabalegui and restored to its former glory by the Chivite family.
