Sazon Goya Grilled Chicken Thighs and an Old Vines Garnacha #WorldWineTravel

The World Wine Travel group is still traveling around Spain this year.  It has been such a fun adventure.  This month we are visiting Navarra.  I opened a bottle of Bodegas Nekeas El Chaparral Old Vines Garnacha 2018 that I paired with a casual dinner of Grilled Chicken Thighs that had been marinated in olive oil and Sazon Goya seasoning, steamed rice and fresh buttered corn off the cob.

The Teen and I had gone to get our nails done....well she got her nails done, I got a pedicure.  We called Frank and let him know that we were on the way home and he made this delicious dinner for us.

Robin of Crushed Grape Chronicles is hosting this month and invited us to join her in visiting Navarra, Spain.  You can read about it in her Invitation Post.  

Navarra borders France in the Pyranees.  It's capital is Pampalona, known for the "running of the bulls".

There are French provinces of Navarra as well as the area that belongs to Spain.  It is surrounded by the Basque Country that we have visited in the past.

I ordered up this bottle of  Bodegas Nekeas El Chaparral Old Vines Garnacha 2018  from wine. com  on sale for $14.00.  It got very nice reviews and consistent reviews over 90 from several sources.  I was not at all familiar with wines from the region so I relied on the information provided.

The wine poured a lovely garnet.  It was lighter than I anticipated and paired wonderfully with the grilled chicken thighs that we had massaged with olive oil and sazon goya seasoning.  Bodegas Nekeas took it's oldest single Garnacha vineyard and produced a wine completely different from those found elsewhere in Spain, where the climate is warmer.

I was very surprised at the smooth structure of this wine.  It is light enough to pair well with the chicken but hearty enough to accompany those last burgers of the season of which we are trying to get our fill before summer is gone.

I have had the opportunity to visit this area once before with our Wine Pairing Weekend group. I was happy to return to this area as I so enjoyed the wine previously.  You can read all about those wines and the pairings I chose in my Taste of Navarra post. 

I am anxious to learn more about the wines of this area when we meet for Twitter Chat on Saturday at 11 AM ET.  Please join in and give us your thoughts.  You will find us by following #WorldWineTravel.  

Here are the topics we will be discussing:

• Wendy of A Day in the Life on the Farm shares Sazon Goya Grilled Chicken Thighs and an Old Vines Garnacha
• Terri of Our Good Life shares Navarra's Local Red Wine Drink: The Kalimotxo #worldwinetravel
• Martin of Enofylz Wine Blog shares 2016 Artazu Pasos de San Martín" Navarra + One Pan Spanish Chorizo & Shrimp
• Nicole of Somm's Table shares Azul y Garanza Naturaleza Salvaje Navarra Tinto with Basque Tomato Soup and Grilled Chicken
• Cam of Culinary Adventures with Camilla shares Virtual Navarra: Spicy Lamb Meatballs + Vina Zorzal Graciano 2018
• Jeff from Food Wine Click shares Surprisingly Fresh in Navarra with Itxas Harri
• Gwendolyn Alley from Wine Predator shares Chorizo Stuffed Mushrooms with Navarra’s "Galimatias" Cuts Through The Rigmarole
• Susannah from Avvinare shares Discover Navarra Rosados that Brighten your Day
• Robin on Crushed Grape Chronicles shares Gardacho Garnacha from Navarra and Pochas Estofadas