The producer
Artadi is somewhat of a newbie in terms of Rioja – established only in 1985 – but quickly rose to the highest level of quality in Rioja. Artadi has been hugely successful with vineyards in Navarra (Artazu) and Alicante (El Segue) and is also among the best of those appellations.
The range includes excellent village wines and several single vineyard wines, all exemplary quality. The top wine is Vina El Pison, from a 2.4ha single vineyard of very old vines near Laguardia. Since 2015 Artadi choose no longer to use the DOCa of Rioja, rather labelling the wines “Laguardia”. Regardless of classification, this is a powerful but extremely elegant representation of wines from Rioja, of which it is at least geographically part.
The wine
Produced from a 2.4-hectare vineyard plot, located at 480 meters altitude in Laguardia and with vines planted in 1945, Vina El Pison is Artadi’s flagship wine. 100% Tempranillo, El Pison ferments for 10-12 days with daily pigeage and pumping over, and is then allowed to mature for 12 months in French oak barrels. El Pison is a wine of incredible concentration, yet with remarkable finesse and length. A wine which can be kept for decades.
