Artadi

This estate symbolises the revival of an appellation that is nothing less than the most iconic in Spain . Juan Carlos López de Lacalle founded Artadi in 1981. By choosing to produce single vineyard wines from old Tempranillo vines, he broke with the rules of the Rioja classification, which ranks wines according to the length of ageing. His wines are cru wines from a... Read more

This estate symbolises the revival of an appellation that is nothing less than the most iconic in Spain . Juan Carlos López de Lacalle founded Artadi in 1981. By choosing to produce single vineyard wines from old Tempranillo vines, he broke with the rules of the Rioja classification, which ranks wines according to the length of ageing. His wines are cru wines from a few hectares located between the villages of Laguardia and El Villar: Century-old vines where the exceptional terroir and variations in soil (limestone, sand and silt), altitude and slopes express themselves with incredible transparency. Critics quickly recognised Artadi as one of the best estates in Rioja, despite the objections of the appellation's authorities, who refused to recognise its single vineyard wines. Artadi left the Rioja DOC in 2016 to create the Alava appellation (the province of the Basque Country). Rioja finally proved the family right in 2019 by creating the Viñedos Singulares (unique vineyards).The history of Artadi is inseparable from the expertise of their ancestors and is deeply rooted in a passion for and respect of nature, and wine in particular. Since its inception in 1985, Artadi has been guided by the customs of their people, who have maintained the region's wine-growing heritage for generations. In 1992, the Lacalle and Laorden families took over the reins of the project. Their obsession with keeping the culture of the vine alive led them to discover expressions in each vineyard that reveal the personality of each terroir. The estate's vision is based on respect for the experiences of their elders and clinging to tradition as a cutting-edge and forward-looking element. Strengthened by this conviction, the estate wishes to continue along this path to reveal the greatness of their terroir and the character of their wines.The landscape of Alava is dotted with small Tempranillo and Viura vineyards that create a complex viticultural mosaic. Limestone soils, alluvial gravel, silt and clay make up this particular balance between poor soils and a microclimate that combines continental, Atlantic and Mediterranean influences. In the villages of Laguardia and Elvillar de �lava, Artadi owns 56 hectares of vineyards with very different soil types at the foot of the Sierra de Toloño, in the heart of the Sonsierra Alavesa region.Respect for nature is a key element of the estate's philosophy. With no fertilisers or synthetic chemicals used in the vineyard, the emphasis is on maintaining the wine-growing ecosystem and producing wines that reflect their natural environment. The land on which the vines grow is considered a living organism dependent on the outside world.The concept of terroir, a wine-growing project, respect for tradition and history, a love of nature, a passion for craftsmanship and the personalisation of our wines. The true value of great wines is closely linked to the land and its inhabitants.