Bordegas Artadi

Bodegas Artadi sent shockwaves throughout the wine world in December 2015 when the top Spanish estate announced their decision to leave the DOCa Rioja. The choice to go it alone was a bold one, but it has so far proved a blessing for this legendary producer and allowed them to highlight their remarkable single vineyard wines free from the rigid regulations of the region’s governing body.

Artadi’s story began back in 1985 when a group of local winemakers with prime vineyards in Laguardia in the Rioja Alavesa sub-region came together to pool their resources. This cooperative was then purchased by the visionary Juan Carlos López de Lacalle who was quick to recognise the estate’s incredible potential.

Soon after taking over the reins of the 83 hectare estate, Juan Carlos introduced a philosophy of sustainability and an emphasis on producing top quality grapes with minimal chemical intervention. This light-handed approach ensures the vines are healthy and creates wines which speak of the terroir of the individual plots were they began life.

This attention to detail extends to the winery where the grapes are carefully handled and moved using gravity to avoid damage. Use of sulphur is kept to a minimum and the fermentation is carried out with wild yeast which naturally occurs in the winery and on the grape skins rather than commercial yeast.

Under Juan Carlos’ thoughtful leadership Artadi has expanded to develop additional wineries in Navarra and in Alicante and today has a total of 150 hectares. In the fine wine world, their most prized wines are the sensational single vineyard bottlings like Viña El Pisón and El Carretil.

Viña El Pisón is carefully crafted from the 2 hectare El Pisón vineyard which was planted in 1945 and is frequently lauded by wine critics as a supreme example of Spanish fine wine with the 2013 Viña El Pisón receiving a score of 97 points by Luiz Gutierrez in The Wine Advocate.

Another worthy investment option is their sublime Grandes Anadas which is only produced during the very best vintages with grapes selected from the estate’s top vineyards. This is an intense, incredibly complex wine that needs plenty of cellaring to reach its full potential and its rarity means that investors should expect a good return when they finally do decide to sell.

For those willing to explore alternative wine regions to broaden their fine wine portfolio, Artadi is the natural choice thanks to the dedication to winemaking and impeccable reputation of the estate. The decision to leave the DOCa Rioja has brought even more attention to this top Spanish estate, making this the perfect moment to snap up some of their sensational wines.

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