spanish wines - Pais Vasco

Artuke's "Premier Cru" wine. Their youngest vine, 3.9 hectares planted in 1999 in Samaniego, 700 metres above sea level - hence its particular character.

This cuvée is a tribute to the two brothers' paternal grandfather who bought the Peñaescalera vine in Baños de Ebro. A vine with a veru low yield, located at the high end of the village, so for a while no one harvested it anymore. And as the soil was very stony, no one would have been "loco" (crazy) enough to buy it in the 50's. But the loco grandfather did it, and its 2.8 hectares now called Finca de los Locos, produced a magnificent wine. And we are all crazy about it!

Located in the small village of Baños de Ebro, 520 m above sea level, on sandy soils, La Condenada is one of the most spectacular vine in the whole Rioja region. This vine dating from the 1920's is mainly planted with Tempranillo, but it has other - local -companions. It owes its name ("condemned") to the fact that it was nearly abandoned before the Artuke brothers saved it. Two years of effort were needed to get it back into shape, and the first crop came in the 3rd. And what a crop! No doubt this is Rioja at its best.

The Pies Negros cuvée is the "village wine" of the Artuke Brothers. The 6 vineyards it comes from are located in Abalos. They are all bush-vines, planted between 530 et 600 metres of altitude. Part of the grapes are still foot-trodden in the old fashion - hence the name of pies negros, black feet. The total production of this cuvée is 10.500 bottles.

The house's "Grand Cru". This cuvée comes from a 0.95 ha parcel located 540 metres above sea level in Abalos, in the Rioja Alta. Only 1,180 bottles of this very Burgundian Rioja are made.

Artuke's "Premier Cru" wine. Their youngest vine, 3.9 hectares planted in 1999 in Samaniego, 700 metres above sea level - hence its particular character.

This cuvée is a tribute to the two brothers' paternal grandfather who bought the Peñaescalera vine in Baños de Ebro. A vine with a veru low yield, located at the high end of the village, so for a while no one harvested it anymore. And as the soil was very stony, no one would have been "loco" (crazy) enough to buy it in the 50's. But the loco grandfather did it, and its 2.8 hectares now called Finca de los Locos, produced a magnificent wine. And we are all crazy about it!

Trasnocho means "wine of one night". A real fruit bomb!

This Old Vine Reserva is a real gem. All the features of a Gran Reserva.

One of the rarest wines of this great estate. This Gran Reserva is so in demand (for the 2004 was marked 100/100) that it has always been difficult to acquire. But we were able to secure a small allocation. A Gran Reserva worthy of its name.

This Old Vine Reserva is a real gem. All the features of a Gran Reserva.

Fernando has always had a majority of white grapes in his vineyards. Along the years, the quality of his white wines has regularly improved. And now his blanco is at the top of Rioja's whites. Since 2011, he has also been producing a white reserva. Both cuvées are on par with the best white Burgundies. The grapes come from a 600 m high vineyard in San Vincente de la Sonsierra, on clay and limestone soils.

This Old Vine Reserva is a real gem. All the features of a Gran Reserva.

Here is an entry level Reserva with a great personality. It comes from other vineyards than the Remirez Reserva.

The latest release by Remirez de Ganuza - a white wine, this time. It comes from a small vineyard in Samaniego, at 600m above sea level. Only old vines of viura (aka macabeo).

Trasnocho means "wine of one night". A real fruit bomb!

Here is an entry level Reserva with a great personality. It comes from other vineyards than the Remirez Reserva.