Artadi El Carretil Rioja Alavesa 2017 Red Wine 75cLBy Winebuyers

1 x 75cl. The producer Artadi is somewhat of a newcomer, established in 1985, but quickly rose to the highest level of quality. Artadi has been successful with vineyards in Navarra and Alicante, and is also among the best of those appellations. The range includes excellent village wines and several single vineyard wines, all of exemplary quality. The top wine is Vina El Pison, from a 2.4ha single vineyard of very old vines near Laguardia. Since 2015 Artadi chose no longer to use the DOCa of Rioja, rather labelling the wines “Álava”. Regardless of classification, this is a powerful but extremely elegant representation of wines from the region, of which it is at least geographically part. The wine El Carretil is made from a 5.6-hectare single vineyard plot, in Laguardia, planted in 1975 to Tempranillo. The vines are south-east facing, at 500 meters of altitude, and in deep clay-limestone soils. El Carretil ferments for 10-12 days with daily pigging. It is a 100% Tempranillo wine.