Artadi Valdeginés 2021

Valdeginés is one of Bodegas Artadi's parcel wines. The grapes used in its making come from an organically poor vineyard, with calcareous-clay soil and lightly compacted. Their 7 east-facing hectares lose the sun's rays towards midday, and taking into consideration the Laguardia estate lies at an altitude of 600 metres, it goes a long way to explaining the elegance and expressiveness of its fruit. As in all Artadi vineyards, viticultural tasks follow clearly-defined organic principles that preserve the environment thanks to the absence of pesticides and herbicides. The grapes reward their pickers with a mere 4,000 kg/ha, and the clusters are gathered by hand with special care and placed into small 15-kg crates. Afterwards, the grapes are pressed twice a day for about two weeks whilst undergoing alcoholic fermentation; the malolactic and subsequent 12 months of ageing take place in new French oak barrels. Behind every cork you'll find a clear-cut, restrained and structured wine, that at first seems shy but which gradually begins to raise the tempo until it turns into a seductive melody. Its tannins are tough but well-integrated, and its initial defiant tone soon reveals a beautiful structure directed by a vibrant acidity; there emerge the now classic earthy and liquorice aromas, which we usually find in Artadi wines, accompanied by a woodland raspberry and strawberry freshness, spices, and the elegant austerity found in very fine wines. It's precise and expressive both on the palate and on the nose, and its perfect balance between fruit and oak bodes a great future.