The Riojan Revolutionist

Juan Carlos Lòpez de Lacalle, owner and winemaker of Artadi, has established himself as one of the greatest names in Spanish winemaking. Playing by his own rulebook, over the last 3 decades he has transformed Bodegas Artadi, from its humble beginnings as a small co-operative, into an undisputed superstar on the world wine stage. In addition to this, he has almost single-handedly changed the face of Rioja, by shunning the antiquated Spanish wine laws, and concentrating purely on quality and terroir, rather than excessive ageing in wood. So at odds with traditional Riojan winemaking traditions is he, that Artadi officially abandoned Rioja entirely in 2015, leaving the appellation behind and labelling their wines under ‘Alava – España’.

Over the years, Juan Carlos has also expanded the operation, opening domaines in Navarra (Artazu) and in Alicante (El Sequé), embracing the challenge of overseeing the cultivation of the ancient varietals of Garnacha and Monastrell, with the same dedication and philosophy. We at Gauntleys, have had the privilege of following the wines of Artadi from the start of the journey, and we know that the wines have become firm favourites with many of our long-standing customers, as has been the story with many wine enthusiasts the world over. We are therefore thrilled to be offering these new releases from Artadi and Juan Carlos, which provide a great introduction to the range and showcases three stunning single varietal cuvées: Tempranillo from Alava, Garnacha from Navarra and Monastrell from Alicante. His wines truly display the essence of each varietal in their purest form and are a pleasure to drink. Three gloriously expressive and distinct varietals, all with the unmistakable mark of Artadi. These would make glorious companions to these colder months and if you are a fan of Spanish reds and have yet to discover the wines of Juan Carlos Lopez… these are not to be missed.