November 16, 2021
This week we are elated to feature the Single Vineyard wines from ARTADI and the exceptional use of the Tempranillo grape that the winery is known for.
Juan Carlos López de Lacalle, owner and winemaker, is recognized as one of the greatest names in Spain. The winery was formerly a co-op of 13 growers who owned well-sited vineyards around the town of Laguardia in the Alavesa wine region of Rioja. He saw the potential of these wonderful vineyards and purchased the Bodega comprising 85 hectares of vineyards entirely devoted to Tempranillo. His obsession with quality led him to vinify the old cooperative vineyards separately based on their soils and altitudes. The winemaking is modern with an emphasis upon fruit driven wines, characterized by the terroir of individual vineyard sites. Attention to detail is evidenced at all stages of the winemaking process, from the pruning in the vineyard to the six additional sorting trays in the winery, then a fermentation in specially designed vats to ensure an optimum extraction of fruit and tannin. A very different philosophy of traditional Rioja producers.
Valdegines- A wine with a well-defined and structured backbone that contains angular shapes which denote power. The strength of its blended tannins and its powerful balance are appreciable in the mid-palate.
Quintanilla- Wines of distinct character on the nose and palate expressing lots of freshness. A concentration of fleshy fruit. Great natural structure and precise definition.
La Poza de Ballesteros- This vineyard gives us “thick stroke” wines. One feels the presence of volume and the intense flavors of very ripe fruit. Broad, round and dense tannins, typical from a vineyard with character.
El Carretil- A wine with vibrant fruit along with fibrous and sculpted tannins. A fusion between ripe flavor profiles and the precision of mineral, fine tannins and texture of a delicate wine.
El Pisón- An extraordinary vineyard, an extraordinary wine. The pure expression of the relationship between soil, climate, vine and man. Viña El Pisón is a wine to lay down and to enjoy time’s magic.
