The road that leads to Arínzano is like the first page in a novel. The first page in a thousand-year-old tale that has never lost its air of mystery.
As we approach a bend in the road, two stone pillars come into view, scarred by several centuries of sun and rain. They still bear the property’s original markings with the inscription ‘Señorío di Arínzano’. Sancho Fortuñones, a trusted friend of King García Sanchez, was gifted the Domaine by the King in return for having saved the life of his son and restored him to the throne of the kingdom of Navarre in 1055. He, in turn, donated the Domaine to a nearby community of monks so that it was used for vine cultivation. Like many exceptional wines, those of Arínzano have long been rooted in the dual relationship between sacred time and secular soils, the meeting point between hard work and the mystery of transcendence.
The road winds its way through vineyard rows, oak woods and olive trees before arriving at the Domaine, at the far end of a bridge so narrow that the visitor has no choice but to slow down whilst crossing over the Ega river.
Arínzano is set in rural countryside, wild and living landscapes, a lush oasis in what is otherwise a dry and arid environment. From the belvedere that overlooks the Domaine’s 350 hectares, a third of which are used solely for winegrowing, geology divulges the deepest secrets of its history. A cool current of air from the Atlantic flows through this former glacial valley and along the Sierra Urbasa mountain range before narrowing into a Y-shape as it reaches the river and hillsides at the Domaine. The combined energies of the Cierzo winds and the Ega river merge in this vast amphitheatre and create the unique and individual character of each of the Domaine’s plots of vines. The soils, stones and water join forces to give the terroir its incredible strength, energy and emotion.
Arínzano was granted the Vino de Pago denomination in 2007 for the totality of the Domaine. This is recognition not only of the beauty of this ancient terroir by also of the Domaine’s continuous quest for excellence.
It is always time that orchestrates this secret alchemy between the living and breathing grape, the wood and the bottle.
Time stands still when tasting the wines. Silence best allows us to appreciate this spiritual and physical emotion, the fleeting moment during which we can fully grasp the grace of eternity. As is the case when we first lay eyes on this exceptional Domaine, tasting its wines heightens our sensitivity to the mystery and magic lying here yet without ever fully disclosing its secrets.
Time belongs to it; it is both its product and its master.
