2010 Artadi Releases

Ten years ago, Juan Carlos López  de Lacalle was seen as a bit of a maverick in the region of Rioja, a young upstart if you like. Now, he is by no means part of the establishment yet his techniques, his assiduous attention to detail in the vineyard and his focus on old vines are revered rather than distrusted. To put this in perspective: if Juan Carlos is thought to be a potential buyer of a particular vineyard in the region, its perceived status (and price) will generally rise. Berrys of course remain keen followers of Juan Carlos' Artadi wines and are delighted to offer his latest release of brilliant Riojas.

2010 was an unusual vintage for Artadi. Its profile marked by seasonal variations which are becoming increasingly familiar in Europe, namely a very warm spring and autumn and a relatively lacklustre early summer period. After the cold winter of 2009/2010, with above average rain following in the milder spring, the early flowering of 2010 was well nourished and watered, just as well as later on there were real risks of hydric stress in the days of late August. The conditions resulted in a longer than usual ripening season with grapes that were relatively ripe, with higher sugar levels than normal, lower levels of acidity and higher tannins. The structural integrity of the wines is very impressive and they do not lack for definition, mid-palate weight and tension on the finish. They are as ever, impeccable wines, which should drink earlier than the blockbuster 2009s.
 
Since 2009 Juan Carlos has kept back a portion of the single vineyard wines that make up the blend for Pagos Viejos, namely El Carretil, Valdeginés and La Poza de Ballesteros in 2010.