Wine Advisor
Artadi, Vina El Pison 2020
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Luis Gutiérrez
One year ago, I tasted this as a barrel sample when it was still young and undeveloped, juicy and with plenty of baby fat. And now tasted from bottle, the 2020 Viña El Pisón has turned into a serious wine despite 2020 being a more approachable vintage with more fruit, but still has a remarkable tannic structure. It's elegant, austere and subtle, with a very long aftertaste, and the strength here is the mouthfeel. It's both powerful and ethereal, with stunning balance. They finally bottled it after the normal élevage, and the idea is to perhaps bottle it before was abandoned, as they realized what seemed like a more fragile vintage at first also benefitted from the élevage. 6,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in June 2022.
Reviewed by: Luis Gutiérrez
The 2020 Viña El Pisón was initially closed and ungiving but revealed a more fruit-driven wine as it opened up in the glass after no less than 20 minutes. This is young and undeveloped, juicy and with plenty of baby fat. Despite being a more approachable vintage with more fruit, it still has a remarkable tannic structure. They believe they are going to bottle the 2020s sooner than later to keep this freshness of fruit before it fades.
Reviewed by: Luis Gutiérrez
The 2020 Viña El Pisón was initially closed and ungiving but revealed a more fruit-driven wine as it opened up in the glass after no less than 20 minutes. This is young and undeveloped, juicy and with plenty of baby fat. Despite being a more approachable vintage with more fruit, it still has a remarkable tannic structure. They believe they are going to bottle the 2020s sooner than later to keep this freshness of fruit before it fades.
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.
