Located in a beautiful valley nearby Pamplona. Thanks to the exceptional characteristics of its soil and its special microclimate, the wines made from this vineyard are complex and very different from the ones produced in the rest of the region. The prestige of the place was already so well-known in the middle ages that the Real Court of Charles III, King of Navarre, was enjoying the wines made in Otazu, according to some documents provided by the General Archives of Navarre. The noticeable influence and entity of Bodega joined the long history of the vine and vineyard. The old French-style winery was built in 1840 in the geographic center of the wine estate with a capacity of 200.000 liters in wooden deposits.
Bodega Otazu was a real revolution back in time as this was the first time the winery was separated from the urban area. A hundred and fifty years later, the existing winery has been remodeled and a new one has been built, linked to the previous one. The extraordinary masterpieces of art at Bodega Otazu turn out to be another reflection of its origins. An additional effort towards culture, towards the pleasure of sharing. e veneration for a craft –the one of the creators, of the artist– that can only be understood as a symbol of passion and an enthusiasm for innovation. A point of view, a way of watching and looking at ourselves.
Each and every grape that is brought to the Bodega of Otazu comes from our own estate. 110,12 hectares of vineyards constitute the only source for making a unique wine range of outstanding personality. Top range wines for an individual, heterogeneous and very personal result. Plethoric wines, with suggestive aromas and a firm structure.
Since 2009, Bodega Otazu is one of the 14 wineries in Spain that has the certification “Vino de Pago”, the highest category a vineyard can obtain and which allows us to make wines under our own appellation of origin Denominación de Origen Protegida Pago de Otazu.
The geographical and quality recognition “Vino de Pago” emerged to support unique projects arising from a close bond between vineyard and winery, that are able to produce wines with outstanding quality. In this regard, wines made under “Pago” are linked to a unique winery and vineyard that receive this emblem not only for the exceptional quality of its microclimate or the specific characteristics of its soil which make it different from any other wineries in the surroundings, but also for the fact that the winery only uses its own grapes which leads to wines with personality and a persistent quality over time.
For the last forty years, my career has taken me to four continents and to more than two hundred and fifty different wine estates around the world. I have visited exceptional vineyards and tasted extraordinary wines everywhere I have been.
Now, I am delighted to have the opportunity to share my selection of wineries with you thanks to Wine Paths, an innovative project that I am extremely enthusiastic about, for the first time ever, we can find the best wine & dine addresses in the world featured in one place.
My selection includes some unique hidden gems as well as some renowned properties: I have chosen all of them based on the outstanding quality of their wines and services. Join me on this journey to discover the best wineries in the world’s most acclaimed wine regions.
Michel Rolland
International Winemaker