ARTADI 2020

Valdeginés is directly opposite La Poza de Ballesteros. At 4.5ha, it is over twice the size of La Poza and sits partly on the slope – shallow soil over sandstone – and partly on the deeper-soiled, cooler clay-limestone terraces. The east-facing slope gets the early morning sun, resulting in a fresh style. This comes flying out of the glass, with roses, violets, raspberries and bitter cherry aromas. The palate is cool and pure, with lively red fruits, finely detailed tannins and chalky minerality making for a poised, nuanced finish. A substantial Valdeginés, which will age gracefully – if you can bear to wait.

This is our fourth vintage release of Quintanilla and only the fifth to have been produced. This vineyard comprises 1.13ha of clay-limestone over hard limestone and sandstone mother rock. Glass-staining ruby colour. Violet perfume, sweet spices and candied rose aromas – such a pretty nose. The palate has an impressive depth and concentration of raspberry and plum fruit, with plushly fruit-coated tannins and a luxurious dark chocolatey finish.

This is the elder statesman of the single vineyards, the 1.62ha of vines having been planted in 1956. It is also higher, at 650 meters of elevation. The deep clay-limestone soil is well aerated, making for complex wines. Darkly-berried aromas of plum, prune and blackberry. The palate is supple and pliantly textured, with beautifully rounded tannins framing the dark, wintery berry fruit. Real old-vine concentration here – you can almost picture the knarly old sentinels.

La Poza, named after a pool-like hollow at its centre, is a west-facing 1.18ha site, planted in 1960. In contrast to Valdeginés, it sees the afternoon sun and is picked around four days earlier as a result. There is correspondingly greater intensity and firmer tannin. The soil is poor silty clay, dotted by limestone. After the darker minerality of San Lazaro, there is a brightness and a red-fruited charm here which, along with the cedary spice and tomato leaves, brought Pomerol to mind. The palate is even more brilliantly raspberry-fruited, a real charmer with that hallmark crystalline purity. Tannic power meets supple finesse – lovely wine.

This is a 3.64ha plot planted in 1930, 1975 and 1988, on a variety of soils at around 500m of altitude. At the highest points, there is clay-limestone over sandstone bedrock and in the deeper, cooler areas, the topsoil covers a layer of silt and clay. Although mainly south-facing, El Carretil is further north and cooler. Dark, flinty aromas, with Parma violets. The palate’s crystalline blackberry fruit is cool and focused, transparent and zinging with nervy mineral energy. A real terroir wine, this has phenomenal precision and drive.

This 2.4ha walled vineyard is the heart of Artadi. Its gnarly bush vines, on deep clay-limestone soils, were planted by Juan Carlos López de Lacalle’s father in 1945. It is protected from the wind and enjoys optimal sun exposure. A kaleidoscope of perfume – violets, roses and daisies brush shoulders with raspberries and zesty tangerine. The palate is joyously fruit-laden, somehow more aroma than liquid, the tannins melting into the wild strawberry fruit. A powerful yet weightless wine, incomprehensible (as the best wines are) but utterly delightful.