Aseginolaza y Leunda, making stunning low-fi wines in Spain’s Navarra
Website: https://aseginolazayleunda.com/
Pedro Leunda (pictured above) and Jon Aseginolaza are childhood friends from San Sebastien, now making wine from the north western part of Navarra in Spain. They began with a small plot of old vine Garnacha in 2016 and now have 10 small vineyard plots covering almost 4 hectares. These two wines are made quite naturally, with just small additions of sulfites before bottling, and are quite thrilling. I tasted these wines with Pedro in London.
UK agent is Carte Blanche.
Aseginolaza y Leunda Txuria 2022 Navarra, Spain
This is Viura. Focused and grainy with nice density and some grippy citrus fruit. Linear, showing notes of fresh mint and dried herbs. 93/100
Aseginolaza y Leunda Birak 2022 Navarra, Spain
This is their entry level red, made from 90% Garnacha with 10% Tempranillo, destemmed. Aromatic, fine and supple with lovely sweet fruit and nice texture, showing fine raspberries and cherries as well as some nice spicy element. Very fine and quite beautiful. 94/100
Aseginolaza y Leunda Matsanko 2021 Navarra, Spain
70% Garnacha, 30% Tempranillo, whole bunch, spends 6-8 months in barrel. Finely spiced, elegant and quite delicate with lovely purity. Refined with sweet red cherries and plums, as well as nice structure. 94/100
Aseginolaza y Leunda Cuvee 2021 Navarra, Spain
Garnacha and Mazuelo. Supple and very fine with fresh, bright redcurrant and cherry fruit. This is really elegant with red fruits to the fore and real potential. Beautiful wine. 95/100
Aseginolaza y Leunda Las Santas 2021 Navarra, Spain
Garnacha from the coolest highest altitude vineyards. Supple and very fine with red cherries and redcurrants as well as fine spices. Sappy, stony, mineral and detailed with lovely purity and finesse. 96/100
Older notes:
Aseginolaza y Leunda Kauten 2019 Navarra, Spain
14.5% alcohol. This comes from 10-15 year old cane-pruned vines in Olite, Navarra, and is 100% Garnacha. Soils are stony calcareous clays and the altitude is 410 m. Fermentation is with 20% whole bunches at the bottom of the tank, and the wine matures for four months in old French oak. Fine, supple and very expressive with generosity as well as elegance. Rounded with a chalky freshness on the finish and some subtle green hints framing the lovely mouthfilling sweet fruit. Supple and fresh. 94/100 (£30 Handford Wine)
Aseginolaza y Leunda Cuvée 2019 Navarra, Spain
14.5% alcohol. This is 75% Garnacha and 25% Mazuelo (Carignan), from old bush vines grown on stony soils with clay/silt. Fully destemmed and punched down daily, then spends 6 months in old French oak. Very fresh, linear and concentrated with a nice spicy edge to the fruit. Very fine with good precision and notes of raspberry and cherry, as well as fine spices. This has tension and vitality, showing a juicy edge to the fruit. So distinctive. 94/100 (£30 Handford Wines)
