2019 Artuke Paso Las Mañas Paraje El Chorro

Artuke is a small family business in Baños de Ebro in the Rioja Alavesa. The brothers Arturo and Kike de Miquel (Artuke is a combination of their first names) have been working for their parents' company since 2003 and 2010, respectively, who now advise the boys in the background. The focus is entirely on making terroir driven wines with vineyard expression, a Burgundian complexity and elegance.

Paso Las Mañas can be seen as Arturke's Premier Cru. The wine comes from the youngest vines, 3.9 hectares, which were planted in 1999 in Samaniego, at an altitude of 700 m, which gives it a rather special character. In 2016, 3500 bottles were bottled. It is the only cuvée based on 100% Tempranillo. So it is a Single Vineyard wine.

In the field, in an initial selection, the pickers themselves determine which trusses are picked. These are then picked in small baskets and transported in large baskets with a maximum height of 10 cm so that the grapes cannot crush each other and the fruit remains beautiful and undamaged. Then all the bunches are triaged on the selection table in the bodega. The bunches are de-stemmed and then transported by gravity to the stainless steel tanks for fermentation. Only native yeasts are used. Malolactic fermentation in wooden foeders of 500 and 3500 liters. The wine continues to mature in the same foeders for 15 months.

In the glass, the Paso Las Mañas has a dark ruby red color. In the nose mainly floral tones that get the upper hand, and after a lot of waltz lots of red fruit. Very Burgundian character for Tempranillo. Lots of juice in the mouth, the red fruit comes back, beautiful balance between the fruit, slightly spicy wood, acids and tannins. Lots of juice in the mouth, the red fruit comes back, beautiful balance between the fruit, slightly spicy wood, acids and tannins. Due to the height of the vineyard, we feel the acidity definitely present, but nicely fused with the fruit. Long finish.