Navarra, which lies just to the north and east of Rioja, has long been overshadowed by its more well-known sibling. Much like Rioja, however, vines have been planted here since Roman times, and the region boasts a multitude of old vines and the ideal continental climate for them to thrive. While both Rioja and Navarra wines were widely exported to France during the late 1800s when the vine louse phylloxera was ravaging vineyards in Bordeaux, Navarra’s winemaking history has been closely intertwined with France since the Middle Ages, as it lies directly in the path of the “Camino Francés” – the historic pilgrims’ route that stretches from Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port in France to Santiago de Compostela in northwestern Spain. For centuries, pilgrims passed through the Navarra on foot. As a result, Bordeaux varieties are common in this region, co-existing with old vine Garnacha, and other French winemaking techniques, such as maturation in French oak barrels are typical. Señorío de Sarría, located on the outskirts of the town of Puente la Reina, which itself lies directly along the Camino, produces fantastic wines that are emblematic of this history. The Reserva Especial is mostly Cabernet Sauvignon, blended with a small amount of Graciano, and is aged for two years in once and twice used French oak barrels.