Artuke, Tinto Generico, 2019

While Artuke have several prestigious single-vineyard wines, this is one of their “village” offerings which expresses simplicity and terroir at its finest. Tempranillo comprises the vast majority of plantings in the Rioja and this grape is a specialty for Artuke who hand-harvest their organically and biodynamically farmed vineyards. 

Carbonic Maceration, a winemaking technique made famous in Beaujolais, is used in the production of this wine. After harvest, the whole clusters of grapes are fermented in a carbon dioxide rich environment which results in intensely fruity wines with low tannins.

The palate is dominated by fruitiness with touches of florality and minerality intertwined with the fresh strawberry and raspberry flavours. There’s a nice nudge of acidity here with a softer, medium finish. Undeniably fresh and easy-drinking.
Pair with pastas; marinated, grilled chicken dishes; creamy tomato risotto; or, a plate of roasted vegetables and wild mushrooms.

Praise
“The approachable and affordable 2019 Artuke is the only 2019 bottled, and it can give us an idea of what's to come: softer wines that are gentle and can be enjoyed early on... This would be a village red from Baños de Ebro (their village) produced with Tempranillo and 5% Viura from terraced vineyards above the Ebro River at 420 to 550 meters in altitude on clay, limestone and sand soils. The full clusters fermented with neutral yeasts, and the wine was kept between three and six months in concrete. This is a textbook example of the category, vintage and grape, with intense aromas of black raspberries and licorice. The palate is soft and round, juicy and with moderate alcohol, very balanced and clean. They harvested it a little earlier, and it might have a little more Viura, which seems to have helped with balance and freshness. This clearly over-delivers for the (incredible) price. 70,000 bottles produced.” 90pts from Luis Gutierrez