Artadi | Rioja | El Carretil | 2021 | 750ml | bio

Description

Product description for Artadi El Carretil 2021 (bio)

The history of Artadi goes back to a cooperative project. In 1985, several producers joined forces because they believed that top-quality wines could be produced in the region without extremely long barrel aging. Under the leadership of Juan Carlos López de Lacalle, they succeeded in refining this process over the decades and achieving considerable success. In 2016, the decision was made to withdraw from the DOCa Rioja because their philosophy had become too different from that of the rest of the appellation. Even today, Artadi does not produce Reserva or Gran Reserva wines. However, they do use a subtle amount of wood, without masking the terroir. Like El Pisón, El Carretil is an amphitheater site at an altitude of around 500 meters and rotates from east to south to west. The site is characterized by somewhat lighter, limestone soils with plenty of sand – soils for the finest wines. Both are extreme sites with extreme subsoils: El Pisón has more clay, more profound power, El Carretil more finesse and elegance. The vines are well over 70 years old. All are biodynamically cultivated and have been bottled as single-vineyard wines for many years.

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Keywords: Artadi El Carretil 2021 bio Rioja Spain

Wine Advocate

Score: 98

The nose of the 2021 El Carretil is an explosion of flowers; it’s aromatic, perfumed, open, expressive and super elegant, clean, nuanced and showy. It has a seamless palate with very fine tannins, ethereal, with lots of energy and light. This has to be the finest vintage of El Carretil to date. Today, this hits the bull’s-eye. Bravo! 5,300 bottles were filled in May 2023.
Luis Gutiérrez

Vinous

Score: 93

The 2021 El Carretil is 100% Tempranillo from Laguardia, Rioja Alavesa, planted on sandy-silt soils with 20% lime content. Exhibiting a purple hue, the nose offers herbal aromas of pea and pennyroyal, layered with notes of blueberry and bay leaf. On the palate, it is dry, chalky and rich, with a talcum powder texture that leads to a compact, austere flow. Vibrant and energetic, this wine embodies the taut and modern characteristics of Rioja, showcasing the streamlined nuances of Laguardia.
— Joaquín Hidalgo
Drinking window: 2024 – 2040
Review date: Apr 2024

Producer website: https://artadi.com/en/artazu-navarra