Founded in 1939 as Bodega Cooperativa San Francisco Javier, this winery is widely known as Bodega de Sada, after the name of the small village in the Baja Montaña area of Navarra where it is located. Boasting a long wine growing tradition, Sada is, in fact, the winemaking epicentre of the Merindad de Sangüesa valley, northwest of San Martín de Unx.
On average vineyards are found at around 500 metres elevation on slopes with limestone soils and flat glacis rich in gravel. One of the most northerly areas in Navarra to grow grapes, Sada enjoys a wealth of exposures and the cool influence of the Pyrenees.
With around 175 hectares, Garnacha is the dominant variety. There are some remaining old vines, but also some 100 hectares of Tempranillo, whose grapes are sold to third parties, as well as some Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Garnacha Roya is an interesting speciality thanks to the stubbornness of a cooperative grower who refused to uproot his plot even though he got a lower price for the grapes which are now used to make a white wine.
In terms of winemaking, Bodega de Sada favours indigenous yeasts and the use of concrete tanks to age the wines for a short period of time.
Along with the unusual white made from Garnacha Roya, the rosé Palacio de Sada (€6 in Spain, close to 500,000 bottles) is the cooperative’s flagship wine and an excellent example of traditional Garnacha rosés from Navarra, where the juice is macerated with the skins and drained afterwards. Similarly priced, the red Palacio de Sada Tinto (30,000 bottles) is also made from Garnacha and aged for about three months in oak barrels. First released in the 2016 vintage, the Cuvée Especial (25,000 bottles, €9) is a Garnacha-based blend with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.
