Wine Advisor
Artadi, Vina El Pison 2014
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Luis Gutiérrez
If all of the unbottled 2014s felt a little closed and backward, the case of the 2014 Viña El Pisón was even more so; this is a wine that tends to be reticent in its youth. As the winery left the Rioja appellation at the end of 2015, all of the 2014s will be sold without appellation. They didn't have new labels to show, but most likely they will not mention anything other than the province (Álava) and Spain. This should have been bottled a few days before I tasted it, but a problem with some corks prevented them from doing it and what I tasted was a final sample from tank with all of the adjustments already done. 2014 is a slightly more generous vintage than 2013 with rounder tannins that provide a more dynamic sensation. The nose was ungiving and even after a couple of hours in the glass the wine hadn't moved much. There are subtle notes from the élevage that suggest that some time in bottle should do it good, but it's still quite primary. So you have to guide yourself by the palate at this point in time. I think the main difference with the wines from ten years ago is the integration of the oak. This now feels purer and more elegant, better balanced and possibly with a brighter future in bottle. I had encountered a bottle of 2004 a few months ago and it still showed excess oak. 6,600 bottles.
Reviewed by: Luis Gutiérrez
Sitting at the top of the hierarchy, the 2014 Viña El Pisón is a wine that always stands out. It has a different balance, in the sense that it feels more complex, complete and balanced. Even within the power of the year, it has round and fine-grained tannins, powerful but subtle with great length. I again see the chalky tannins from El Carretil, with a very tasty, mineral, almost salty finish, and the elegance of the limestone soils. This has superb balance and everything it should take for a great future in bottle. 6,600 bottles produced.
About the Producer
Artadi is a well-regarded, high-profile wine producer based in the Rioja Alavesa town of Laguardia although famously having left the local Rioja wine body, it produces wines under the Vino de Mesa title. It makes a range of Rioja-style wines albeit with a subregional focus and is perhaps best-known for its single vineyard labels, all made from Tempranillo. The single vineyard labels include El Carretil, La Poza de Ballesteros, Quintanilla, San Lazaro and Valdeginés, as well as the flagship El Pison. The 2004 vintage of El Pison wine received 100 points from American wine critic Robert Parker. Other notable wines include the Pagos Viejos cuvée, the value-level Viñas de Gain and the entry-level Artadi Joven, produced from carbonically macerated Tempranillo and Viura. Artadi also makes a white Viñas de Gain from 100 percent Viura aged in oak as well as a sparkling Cava, also from local Viura. López de Lacalle's wines are fruit-driven and characterized by smooth tannins, showing an emphasis on individual vineyard sites more than aging styles. He also owns the El Sequé estate in Alicante, which makes wine from the Monastrell variety, and Artazu in Navarra, which focuses on the Garnacha grape.
