The house of Artadi lies oenologically within the Rioja wine region, but politically it is in the Basque country, which appeals to our independent spirit. However, this is not mere whimsy on our part, since they are also reckoned to produce some of the finest Riojas around today. The Alavesa region, where they are situated, has distinct differences from the rest of Rioja, not only politically but also in terms of soil, altitude and climate. These help produce wines of real finesse.

Artadi started in 1985 when six growers close to the important town of Laguardia banded together to form a co-operative. In 1992 it became a private company, with the original members becoming shareholders under the direction of Juan Carlos Lopez de Lacalle. Together, they control over 120 hectares of vineyards today, many of which are of considerable age. The El Pison vineyard was planted in 1947 by Juan Carlos’ grandfather and is a real ‘premier division’ vineyard, producing wonderful wine. Its size of just 2.8 hectares makes its production even more precious. The high quality fruit really shows in the wine; an intense nose with fine, elegant, ripe fruit aromas and a backbone of oak is followed by a palate which is velvety but structured and perfectly harmonious.

We have also imported their Vinas de Gain, which is produced from grapes chosen from selected vineyards over 40 years old in the communes of Laguardia and Leza. After fermentation, the wine is aged for 18 months in a mixture of French and American oak and the result is bursting with ripe, red fruit flavours with soft tannins and a rich, complex finish.