Artuke Finca de los Locos 2024

Cellar for up to 20 years. Decant for an hour or more before serving. Finca de Los Locos is a bold yet extremely drinkable wine, bursting with notes of red and black hedgerow berries, purple flowers, baking spice, tobacco smoke, and dried herbs. It is a blend of four parts Tempranillo and one part Graciano, harvested from a precipitous site on the side of the river Ebro in La Rioja Alavesa, 550 metres above sea level. Bodegas Artuke consists of 22 hectares, spanning 32 separate vineyard plots between the small towns of Baños de Ebro and Ábalos in Rioja. It was founded in 1991 by Roberto de Miguel, but is now run by his two sons, Arturo and Kike, who lend their names to the winery. They have a special interest in developing abandoned plots, working to maintain the land, rather than transform it. This wine walks the tightrope between intensity and harmony, showing a big structure and fine, dusty tannins. Finca de Los Locos spent 16 months ageing in oak barrels before release. It is loaded with notes of blackberry, cassis, and red plum, with a savoury underbelly of cinnamon and garrigue. It is a superb rendition of Rioja, perfect for pairing with spicy meats, pungent cheese, or a roasted vegetable soup.