Historically, most conversations about Rioja wine centered on production methodology more than terroir. The classic Riojan hierarchy of styles—Crianza, Reserva, Gran Reserva—is all about minimum aging periods in barrel and bottle. Then there’s the more recent chasm between “modern” and “traditional” Rioja (again focused more on process than place). The young team at Artuke is part of a growing movement of Rioja producers who want to shift the dialog to the dirt: Known as “Rioja n’ Roll,” this growing band of terroir-focused vintners is “committed to making singular wines which reflect their origins and terroir.”
The brothers running Artuke are crafting pure expressions of Rioja from single-vineyard sites, and, most noticeably, are eschewing rigid aging requirements. But don’t let that concern you—the wine is anything but tender-footed, and the same goes for brothers Arturo and Kike. They grew up on these rugged lands and their forefathers farmed here for the better part of a century. Today’s 2014 is incredibly rich and intense without ever losing sight of its defining earth and soul. From Rioja purists to casual drinkers, I urge everyone to pick up a few bottles of “Finca de los Locos.” In the spirit of its name, you’d be crazy not to try this wine!
The Blanco family has been tending to vines over a century and for the large majority of that time, sold the fruits of their labor in bulk. It wasn’t until 1991 that Roberto de Miguel Blanco decided that with their diversity of unique plots and skill in the vineyard, the family would begin bottling their own wine. Today, his sons Artuke and Kike—who squeezed their names together to form Bodegas Artuke—run the operations. The brothers have intensely studied the microclimates here and are now producing some of the regions most expressive wines from their 32 individual plots. While I will always hold top Reserva and Gran Reserva wines close to my heart, it’s impossible not to cheer on the new wave of producers championing vineyard-designate bottlings. They respect the land, the vine, and only want pure and traditional wines. What’s not to like about that?
“Finca de los Locos” is a seven-acre plot situated nearly 2,000 feet above sea level on a chalky limestone terrace that commands a view of the Ebro River. It is here in the village of Baños de Ebro, within the Rioja Alavesa sub-appellation, where these vines were acquired by their grandfather many decades ago. He was deemed crazy at the time, but his purchase paid off to an incredible degree: It has since become their prized vineyard. Now approaching 40 years old, these vines are farmed organically and always harvested by hand into minuscule picking bins. In the winery, native yeasts triggered fermentation and the wine aged for 16 months in 500-liter barrels. The final blend was 80% Tempranillo and 20% Graciano.
“Finca de los Locos” 2014 shows monstrous concentration with thick, glass-staining tears. It’s core is opaque purple with dark garnet hues that move to ultra-bright ruby on the rim. At once, the nose presents a sweet core of fruit and hints at incredible richness. You’ll pick up notes of ripe black cherry, sweet and sour red plum, star anise, redcurrant, black raspberry and black raspberry liqueur, followed by a dizzying array of savory earth components: herbes de Provence, sandalwood, cocoa dusted truffle, coconut husk, undergrowth, and a beautiful backbone of raw vanilla and allspice. The palate is nearly full-bodied. Tannins are smooth and structured, but incredibly chewy. A brilliant lift of acidity plays alongside the rich, dark fruits and the finish comes with a wild rush of savory notes. This isn’t your grandmother’s Rioja. It’s massive, incredibly rich, and simultaneously focused with unbelievable amounts of texture. Decant for thirty minutes if enjoying now, otherwise watch it evolve over the next 7-10 years. Try the attached spiced lamb shank recipe—it’s a mixed bag of ingredients and you’ll need an actual grocery list to remember everything, but the end result is worth the effort. Cheers!
