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| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 91.8 pts. and median of 92 pts. in 22 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by El Tino on 12/1/2023 & rated 94 points: ¡Adiós to the last of our bottles! A benchmark wine for me, and still relatively unsung vis à vis Vega, Ygay etc. Still a gorgeous, heady wine, which may still have years to go. Nose. and palate so rich. When decanted, there were crystalline elements, and there is some sediment, but this remains a fulfilling experience, with so many powerful elements at play. I have the 2011s coming up. Can they compare? (480 views) | | | Tasted by GMADWINE on 7/6/2023 & rated 92 points: I agree with the overall 91.7 score.
Looking sharp for 2010 still dark ruby color.
Very good wine - to drink in the next 3 years. (699 views) | | | Tasted by StefanAkiko on 12/15/2022 & rated 84 points: Doesn't quite make the "very good" team at 85p.
Far from a bruiser, mainly a cruiser at lazy speed. Life's too short.
Moving on.
Some supple tannins, M++ acidity, short and with a loose mid-palate, this is not exciting and aromatically dominated by fennel greens and anise seeds. On the verge of being unbalanced… (975 views) | | | Tasted by guitarguy on 8/4/2022 & rated 91 points: A wine of epic proportions, dark crimson towards purple with high phenolics and sweet berry in the nez. On the palate we find a lip staining combination of ripe blackberry, tobacco, aggressive tannin and teeth rattling acidity. Not for the faint of heart, this leaves a drying impression of ketones, berry and chocolate. Here’s the deal, it’s huge and had all the components but I wonder if it will ever balance. Sort of reminiscent of those Aussie Shiraz bombs if the 90’s and 2000’s. Just wow. (1110 views) | | | Tasted by benny on 7/29/2021 & rated 96 points: It's in it's prime. Popped and drank over 3 hours. (1993 views) | | | Tasted by El Tino on 4/16/2021 & rated 94 points: I have been eking these out in anticipation of the stage that this wine has now reached. Old vines, but a full, modern expression with lots of matices - heavy blackberry fruit with bright cherry notes, tannic length and legs galore - really drinking beautifully now, but I feel it has some way to go yet. (1603 views) | | | Tasted by ddingley on 10/4/2020 & rated 92 points: A bit tight upon opening although the nose was lovely. Enjoyed over 60-90 minutes but after pumping night 2 was the highlight. Soft medium bodied with lovely black fruit, cassis and some mildly spicy herbs. (1687 views) | | | Tasted by Mark van Delft on 6/7/2020 & rated 93 points: Excellent Rioja: Plum, fig, balsamic note, soft oak, espresso, dried black fruit, medium to full body, velvety long aftertaste. Needed an hour to open up, but is a great spot, drink now up to 5 years. (1599 views) | | | Tasted by El Tino on 3/9/2020 & rated 93 points: Opened and decanted about 2 hours before consuming, this is a dark, garnet-red with a meaningful amount of sediment that requires a careful decant. The effort invested, though, is well worth it, as it reveals the wine's wonderful nose, with high cherry notes and a brooding hint of leather. The wine has great length and a silky texture that stands up to the alcohol contained and makes for pleasurable drinking. We paired it with a simple ersatz-Spanish meal of cold cuts, manchego, tortilla and pimientos de pardon, and were transported to warmer climes. This is ready now, but will continue to develop, if I can keep my hands off the four bottles that remain to us (1544 views) | | | Tasted by El Tino on 11/1/2019 & rated 86 points: This is going to be beautiful in 2-3 years. At present, the alcohol overwhelms the promising berry flavours and wonderful silky texture. Decanted and filtered 3 hours before drinking, there was substantial crystalline sediment. There is great structure and length here, bit it is not yet integrated. I have 4 left, so will revisit in a while. More to come from this beauty! (1319 views) | | | Tasted by Rupert Degas on 7/30/2019 & rated 92 points: Decanted 3 hours before drinking, so 5 hours of air, and yet it is still too primary. Chewy tannins and biting acidity were too much for my somewhat more delicate palate. Lacked the typical Rioja notes of vanilla and coconut, (which I love) and felt more like a Cabernet Franc.
With hindsight, our food match of French style eye-fillet was probably wrong, and it would have been better with richer Spanish food.
I have two more bottles and will wait until 2024 to open the next one. (1370 views) | | | Tasted by benny on 12/3/2018 & rated 93 points: Decanted 2 hours. Subtle nose. In the mouth sweet tannins and mature fruit. This is a classy Rioja. (1648 views) | | | Tasted by Mazy on 8/7/2015 & rated 88 points: (carafé 5 heures)
Malgré l'aération, le vin demeure sur le siège arrière et sur les arômes primaires de mûres et de cerises, avec une pointe de cacao. La structure est très tannique mais l'aération l'a rendu moins astringent. La longueur y est mais à ce stade il n'est pas très agréable. On ose le truc du cuivre et là on voit une différence énorme: les arômes évoluent rapidement, la complexité se déploie. Une expérience d'apprentissage, que certains d'entre vous ont probablement déjà faite, de goûter un Rioja trop jeune; pour les autres, attendez-le, oubliez-le dans le fond de la cave. En ce moment: 88, mais certainement plus avec le temps. (4597 views) | | | Tasted by PSPatrick on 9/20/2014 & rated 90 points: We decanted the wine for 1.5 hours and consumed it over another three. It was dark purple in colour and offered red and dark fruit, blackberry, plum, cocoa powder, Indian spices, vanilla, liquorice and graphite on the nose. On the palate the wine showed red and dark fruit, blackberry, plum, dark cherry, cocoa powder, Indian spices, vanilla, liquorice, tobacco and graphite, paired with medium-plus acidity, well-integrated medium-level tannin, some heat from the alcohol and superb length. The dense, medium-bodied wine was balanced except for the alcohol and seemed very young. It did not show well tonight and only improved marginally with aeration. Start drinking in 2017. 90+ (4079 views) |
| Artadi Producer website
Source: VinConnect (VinConnect.com)
Owner and winemaker of ARTADI, Juan Carlos López de Lacalle, developed his passion for wine and viticulture at a young age. Often accompanying his grandfather during harvest time in Rioja Juan Carlos understands the importance and dedication to detailed, delicate hard work that it takes to produce excellent wines. Based on these principles he today has three award winning wineries located in Rioja (Bodegas ARTADI), Navarra (Artazu) and Alicante (El Sequé).
Producing wines made from the single most important variety of each appellation, working with estate-grown fruit and developing a team of viticultural experts that respect the traditions and climate of each region are Bodegas Artadi’s fundamental keys to success in each of the three regions. If asked, Juan Carlos would say the peculiarity of different soils, disparate climates and the inherent excellence of the grape varieties are the genesis of the authenticity of ARTADI’s portfolio of wines.
The ARTADI winery produces 200,000-300,000 bottles per year from Rioja Alavesa. With the highest elevation in Rioja, the Álava region is typically known for producing wines that are richer and more aromatic. Reflecting their roots in natural viticulture, chemical pesticides and fertilizers are never used and green harvests are performed when necessary. In respect of the local Tempranillo variety, only mono-varietal wines are produced from a single or multiple vineyards.
Grapes are vinified with the utmost care – clusters are manually harvested and then delivered to the winery within 30 minutes of picking in small, 15 Kg boxes. Once at the winery, the clusters are selected on a sorting table and then after being destemmed, each individual grape goes through a second selection to ensure that only the highest quality fruit goes into the oak tanks for fermentation. A pre-fermentative cold maceration then takes place for two days in open-top tanks before alcoholic fermentation begins at 23ºC over a period of 12-15 days. During this time, manual punch-downs and soft pump-overs are performed twice per day until the wine was transferred via gravity to 100% French oak barrels for malolactic fermentation. Barrels are racked once during a total aging time of 12 months and the wine is then clarified with egg albumen and lightly filtered before bottling.
Decades of intense labor in the vineyards have given famed winemaker and owner Juan Carlos López de Lacalle the experience and passion for making wines of true excellence. With Viña El Pisón & Pagos Viejos receiving consistent scores of over 90 points for the last decade, including 100 points from Wine Advocate for 2004 Viña El Pison, ARTADI is a leader of quality and excellence recognized by wine writers and enthusiasts around the world.
Tempranillo Varietal character (Appellation America) | TAPAS: Tempranillo Advocates, Producers and Amigos Society
Tempranillo is the premium red wine grape variety from the Rioja and Ribera del Duero region in Spain. Tempranillo's aromas and flavors often combine elements of berryish fruit, herbaceousness, and an earthy-leathery minerality. Being low in acidity and sugar content, it is commonly blended with Carignan (Mazuela), Grenache (Garnacha), Graciano, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon.
WineAccess
The varietal is at its best in top Riojas, where oak aging is employed to generate increased complexity and harmony. From the best sites, these wines can be remarkably concentrated with great aging potential. New wines from this region are darker, and more robust, with more dynamic primary fruit flavors than traditionally styled examples. These wines seem to reflect the influence of Spain's other key region for Tempranillo, Ribera del Duero. Regardless of style, Riojas tend to be medium bodied wines, with more acid than tannins. These wines generally feature Tempranillo blended with Garancha, Mazuelo, and Graciano. For these wines, there are three quality levels, which will appear on the label. Everyday drinking wines fall under the category of "Crianza", "Reserva" denotes more complex and concentrated wines, and "Gran Reserva" refers to the most intense wines, made only in the best years.
The same labeling scheme applies to wines from Ribera del Duero, which, like Rioja, is dominated by Tempranillo and shares similar blending grapes. Again, Ribera del Duero wines are generally darker and more powerful than the most traditional Riojas. These wines also generally see less oak treatment than Riojas. From Rioja, we like wines from Allende, Marqués de Cáceres, Montecillo, and Cune. In Ribera del Duero, consider Dominio de Pingus, Emilio Moro, Convento San Francisco, and Pesquera.
Pair older-style Rioja with simple meats like chicken, leg of lamb, and pork loin. However, the newer style of Rioja and Ribera del Duero works especially well with bolder meat dishes or an aged Spanish cheese like Manchego or Idiazabal. Spain Vinos de España - Wines of Spain (Instituto Español de Comercio Exterior) | Wikipedia
Wine Map on weinlagen-info
Spain is the third largest wine producing nation in the world, occupying the majority of the Iberian Peninsula with vast diversity in climate, culture, and of course, wine. From inky, dark reds of the [Priorat] to dry, white Finos from Andalusia, Spain can easily boast of elaborating a wide variety of notable styles. Within Spain there are currently 62 demarcated wine regions, of which a handful have gained international recognition: [Rioja], Priorat and [Ribera del Duero]. Yet these regions are only a small sample of the high quality wines Spain produces. Regions such as Cava, Penedes, Somontano, Galicia, Rueda and Jerez are only a few of the numerous regions worthy of exploration throughout Spain. Spain can also lay claim to having the most land under vine in the world, growing up to, by some accounts, 600 indigenous varietals of which Tempranillo is their most well known. Other popular varietals include [Garnacha], Bobal and Monastrell for reds and for whites; the infamous [sic] Palomino Fino grape which is used in the production of sherry wine, Pedro Ximenez in Montilla Morilles, Albarino used in the creation of the bright, effervescent wines of Galicia, and Verdejo in Rueda. - Source: - Catavino.net
Spain is not in the forefront of winemaking for its dessert wines, other than for its sweet wines from Sherry country including the highly revered Olorosos (when sweetened). But apart from Sherry Spain has a range of styles of dessert wines, ranging from the those made from the Pedro Ximenez grape primarily in Jerez and Montilla-Moriles) to luscious, red dessert wines made in the Mediterranean from the Garnacha (Grenache) grape. Some good Moscatels are made in Mallorca, Alicante and Navarre. The northwest corner of Spain, Galicia, with its bitter Atlantic climate, is even making dessert wines, called “Tostadillos” in the village of Ribadivia (similar to France’s “Vin de Paille”). The Canary Islands have made interesting dessert wines for centuries (they are mentioned by Shakespeare, for example) and in recent years the quality of winemaking has been improved and the Canary Islands wines are being better marketed now. The winemaking styles for “Vinos Dulces” are also diverse, from “Late Harvest” (Vendimia Tardía) to “Fortified Wines” (Fermentación Parcial). Based on in-spain.info.La Rioja Consejo Regulador DOC Rioja - Control Board of the D.O.Ca. Rioja
Map on weinlagen-infoRioja Consejo Regulador DOC Rioja - Control Board of the D.O.Ca. Rioja
HISTORY
The wine region of La Rioja in Spain was first demarcated by the area's governing body, the Consejo Regulador, in 1926. The region extends for approximately 120 kilometres along both sides of the Ebro River and is, at its widest point, bounded by mountains on either side. In fact, the word 'Rioja' is a derivation of the two words 'Rio' (River) and 'Oja (the name of a tributary of the Ebro that runs right through La Rioja creating a series of microclimates and providing much needed water for the vines).
La Rioja has always been a vital part of Spain's history. Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Romans, Moors, and finally, medieval Crusaders have all played a part in the area's history. The Romans, however, made wine a part of their culture wherever they travelled, and La Rioja was no exception. Ancient sites of Roman wineries still exist in and around the area today.
After the Romans came the Moors, and winemaking all but ceased. It wasn't until after the famous 'El Cid' liberated Spain, and medieval Christianity brought trade via the Crusaders through the region, that it flourished again. The Benedictine monks of Cluny in Burgundy, known for their viticulture, helped to establish three monasteries in the area. The vines they planted were mostly white grapes. In the fourteenth century, English traders acquired a taste for a local Rioja wine, which was a blend of white and red wines called Blancos Pardillos. Over time, development of lighter reds came about satisfying eighteenth century English and French courts.
The real improvements to Rioja's viticulture began around 1780 when the need to prolong wine during transport brought about experimentation with different woods and preservatives. Studies were made of the techniques used by great chateaux in Bordeaux. With the outbreak of the Peninsular War, progress was halted until 1852, when the Bordelais came south to Rioja seeking vines because their vineyards had been blighted with oidium. French winemaking methods were eagerly taken up by great rivals the Marques de Murrieta and Marques de Riscal (who both claim to have been the first in Rioja to make wine in the Bordeaux fashion).
When phylloxera devastated Bordeaux in the 1870s and the French influence really took hold in Rioja, many of the region's finest bodegas started production on what we now consider as the great wines of Rioja. It’s important to remember that Bordeaux winemaking methods then were very different to those employed today in France, and involved long ageing in barrel, a factor that the Riojans took up enthusiastically. So enthusiastically in fact that to this day there are a number of Bodegas that still make their wine in a surprisingly similar fashion to that of the Bordelais in the later part of the 1800s and this also explains why oak ageing is such an important part of Riojan winemaking.
USE OF OAK
Pronounced vanilla flavours in the wines are a trademark of the region though some modern winemakers are experimenting with making wines less influenced by oak. Originally French oak was used but as the cost of the barrels increased many bodegas began to buy American oak planks and fashion them into barrels at Spanish cooperages in a style more closely resembling the French method. This included hand splitting the wood, rather than sawing, and allowing the planks time to dry and 'season' in the outdoors versus drying in the kiln. In recent times, more bodegas have begun using French oak and many will age wines in both American and French oak for blending purposes.
In the past, it was not uncommon for some bodegas to age their red wines for 15-20 years or even more before their release. One notable example of this is Marqués de Murrieta which released its 1942 vintage Gran Reserva in 1983 after 41 years of ageing. Today most bodegas have shifted their winemaking focus to wines that are ready to drink sooner with the top wines typically ageing for 4-8 years prior to release though some traditionalists still age longer. The typical bodega owns anywhere from 10,000 to 40,000 oak barrels.
The use of oak in white wine has declined significantly in recent times when before the norm was traditionally 2-5 years in oak. This created slightly oxidised wines with flavours of caramel, coffee, and roasted nuts that did not appeal to a large market of consumers. Today the focus of white winemakers has been to enhance the vibrancy and fruit flavours of the wine.
WINE CLASSIFICATION
Most Riojan Bodegas believe that the ageing of a wine should be the responsibility of the producer rather than that of the consumer, and this is why much Rioja is more mature than wines from other countries. Rioja red wines are classified into four categories. The first, simply labelled 'Rioja', or 'Sin Crianza' (meaning 'without ageing') is the youngest, spending less than a year in oak. A "Crianza" is wine aged for at least two years, at least one of which is in oak. 'Reserva' is aged for at least three years, of which at least one year is in oak. Finally, 'Gran Reserva' wines have been aged at least two years in oak and three years in bottle. Reserva and Gran Reserva wines are not necessarily produced each year. Also produced are wines in a semi-crianza style, those that have had a couple of months of oak influence but not enough to be called a full crianza. The designation of Crianza, Reserva or Gran Reserva might not always appear on the front label but may appear on a neck or back label in the form of a stamp designation known as Consejo.
SUB REGIONS
Rioja Alta
Located on the western edge of the region, and at higher elevations than the other areas, the Rioja Alta is known for more fruity and concentrated wines which can have very smooth texture and mouth feel.
Rioja Alavesa
Despite sharing a similar climate as the Alta region, the Rioja Alavesa produces wines with a fuller body and higher acidity. Vineyards in the area have a low vine density with large spacing between rows. This is due to the relatively poor conditions of the soil with the vines needing more distance from each other and less competition for the nutrients in the surrounding soil.
Rioja Baja
Unlike the more continental climate of the Alta and Alavesa, the Rioja Baja is strongly influenced by a Mediterranean climate which makes this area the warmest and driest of the Rioja. In the summer months, drought can be a significant viticultural hazard, though since the late 1990s irrigation has been permitted. Temperatures in the summer typically reach 95°F. Twenty percent of the vineyards actually fall within the Navarra appellation but the wine produced from the grapes is still allowed to claim the Rioja designation. The predominant grape here is the Garnacha which prefers the hot conditions, unlike the more aromatic Tempranillo. Consequently Baja wines are very deeply coloured and can be highly alcoholic with some wines at 18% alcohol by volume. The wines typically do not have much acidity or aroma and are generally used as blending components with wines from other parts of
the Rioja.
The Riojans are master blenders (as they have to be because there are relatively few single estates in the area, the norm being to blend from a wide variety of vineyards and wine areas). Consequently they are able to reduce vintage variation by careful blending and many of the best wines vary relatively little between vintages.
VITICULTURE & GRAPES
Rioja wines are normally a blend of various grape varieties, and can be either red (tinto), white (blanco) or rosé (rosado). Rioja has a total of 57,000 hectares cultivated, yielding 250 million litres of wine annually, of which 85% is red. The harvest time for most Rioja vineyards is September-October with the northern Rioja Alta having the latest harvest in late October. The soil here is clay-based with a high concentration of chalk and iron (which provides the redness in the soil that may be responsible for the region's name, Rioja, meaning red). There is also significant concentration of limestone, sandstone and alluvial silt.
Among the Tintos, the best-known and most widely-used variety is Tempranillo. Other grapes used include Garnacha Tinta, Graciano, and Mazuelo. A typical blend will consist of approximately 60% Tempranillo and up to 20% Garnacha, with much smaller proportions of Mazuelo and Graciano. Each grape adds a unique component to the wine with Tempranillo contributing the main flavours and ageing potential to the wine; Garnacha adding body and alcohol; Mazuelo adding seasoning flavours and Graciano adding additional aromas.
With Rioja Blanco, Viura is the prominent grape (also known as Macabeo) and is sometimes blended with some Malvesia and Garnacha Blanca. In the white wines the Viura contributes mild fruitness, acidity and some aroma to the blend with Garnacha Blanca adding body and Malvasia adding aroma. Rosados are mostly derived from Garnacha grapes. The 'international varieties' of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot have gained some attention and use through experimental plantings by some bodegas but their use has created wines distinctly different from the typical Rioja.
Some of the most sought after grapes come from the limestone/sandstone based 'old vine' vineyards in the Alavesa and Alta regions. These 40 year old plus vines are prized due to their low yields and more concentrated flavours. A unique DO regulation stipulates that the cost of the grapes used to make Rioja must exceed by at least 200% the national average of wine grapes used in all Spanish wines.
VINTAGE CHART
Rioja (Red) Year %
2004 Superb vintage, classic wines Drink or Hold 94
2003 Hot, dry year, long-ageing wines Drink or Hold 91
2002 Smallest vintage in 10 years. Variable quality.
Keep to top names Drink or Hold 87
2001 Excellent year for long ageing Reservas
and Gran Reservas Drink or Hold 94
2000 A generally good vintage with fine Reservas Drink or Hold 89
1999 Smaller vintage of good quality Drink or Hold 88
1998 Good vintage Drink or Hold 97
1997 Unexciting so far, but quaffable Drink or Hold 84
1996 Good year, plenty of ageing potential Drink or Hold 89
1995 Very good vintage, Reservas now showing excellent fruit Drink or Hold 92
1994 Outstanding, some great long-ageing wines Drink or Hold 94
1993 Lesser wines, apart from best-known names Drink 77
1992 Rather light vintage Drink 80
1991 Still improving, average quality Drink or Hold 85
1990 Fairly ordinary but quaffable Drink 84
1989 Good, firm structure Drink 88
Rioja Reserva & Gran Reserva – Vintages of the Eighties Year %
1989 Goodish vintage, well balanced Drink 88
1988 Fairly good vintage, well balanced wines Drink 88
1987 Very attractive vintage, now at peak Drink 90
1986 Average year, now drinking well Drink 87
1985 Average year, now drinking well Drink 87
1984 Disappointing, with problem weather Avoid 80
1983 Don't keep it any longer Drink 86
1982 Now past its best Drink 83
1981 Superb wines, finest will keep longer Drink 90
1980 Average vintage, don't keep any longer Drink 86
More vintage charts
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