DO Campo de Borja D.O. wines awarded at the Gilbert & Gaillard International Challenge

Denominacion de Origen

The Campo de Borja D.O. covers 16 municipalities in the northwest of Zaragoza province, in Aragon, lying between the foothills of the Moncayo massif and the Ebro valley. The vineyards follow the Huecha river valley, at altitudes between 350 and 700 metres. The dominant soils are brown-calcareous and terrace soils, stony and well-drained, complemented by clay-ferrous soils on the slopes closest to Moncayo. The climate is markedly continental, with Atlantic influence in winter and Mediterranean influence in summer, shaped by the cierzo, a cold, dry northwesterly wind, and by sharp temperature swings. Rainfall is scarce, between 350 and 450 mm a year. Authorized varieties are, for red wines, Garnacha Tinta, Mazuela, Tempranillo, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Garnacha Tintorera, Caladoc and Marselan, and for white wines, Macabeo, Chardonnay, Moscatel de Grano Menudo, Moscatel de Alejandría, Garnacha Blanca, Sauvignon Blanc, Verdejo and Viognier. Garnacha Tinta, planted on more than 3,000 hectares, some vines dating back to 1890, dominates the vineyard and has earned the appellation its nickname, the Empire of Garnacha.

Grape varieties: Rouges : grenache noir, tempranillo, mazuelo, cabernet-sauvignon. Blancs : viura

The wines of this appellation

Campo de Borja produces mostly red wines, alongside whites, rosés, fortified wines and quality sparkling wines. Built on Garnacha, the reds show a deep cherry-red colour, aromas of ripe fruit and flowers, and a full, fleshy, well-structured palate with soft tannins. Wines made by carbonic maceration stand out for their ruby colour and intense amylic aromas. Aged in oak barrels (crianza, reserva, gran reserva), the wines gain deeper colour and develop spicy, balsamic notes, firmer tannic structure and a longer finish. The whites, pale greenish-yellow, are floral and fruity, fresh on the palate; the rosés, a clear pink, are marked by freshness and fruity character. Young reds pair well with poultry and grilled meats, aged cuvées suit meats in sauce and game, while whites and rosés go well with tapas or fish.