“Artuke has seen one of the best progressions in Rioja in the last few years and is one of the finest young family wineries in the region.” – Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate

We’ve been shouting this from the rooftop! Unfortunately, the folks across the street at Lagunitas don’t seem to care.

So today we’re putting it in writing. And pinning it to inboxes of people who care - Martin Luther style, to spread the truth about these 94 POINTER, genre-redefining, uber-tasty (and quite affordable) Riojas.

Forget about the “Rioja” you think you know! None of that over-American oaked blend from across the region, fancy looking while hollow inside nonsense here today.

Here’s to NEW RIOJA.

Bordeaux precision, Burgundy sensibility, Iberian soul. Single vineyards grown and bottled with love and care only the greatest wines of the world see. And there emerges a brave new region within a good old region, you never knew existed.

Don’t believe us? Try a bottle or three. And make sure you try their mind-blowing white found here in the Store too, while it lasts. Or at least hear what Vinous has to say: “Today, Rioja has two speeds. The first is set by the big producers who are responsible for the region’s worldwide fame and its association with extensive oak aging. The second is the more dynamic side, where producers display pride in their place of origin and stylistic choices, more interested in bringing out individual characters than adhering to an established style… the rich nuances found in Rioja today will take your palate on a rewarding joy ride.”

And NO producer can do that as articulately as Artuke. Per Vinous again, “A member of the Rioja’n’Roll group, Artuke harvests grapes from Baños in Sonsierra and bottles their wines by village. Under the auspices of oenologist Arturo de Miguel Blanco, the style is modern and hefty without drowning out the subtle qualities of Sonsierra or the chalky texture imbued by the terroir. This is a producer to follow.”

It was Jancis Robinson who first woke up to this exciting underground movement, “Rioja’n’Roll is the name of an unofficial association of 8 restless winemakers in Rioja. They share the same purpose: introducing the B-side of present-day Rioja… and have been turning heads since they gathered in the summer of 2015… Take a good look at my tasting notes and you will find some of the most promising new-wave riojas, produced in a respectful way, ‘looking back at our ancestors.’ This is clearly a group of winemakers to follow closely.”

Our allocation of this Grand Cru white Burg doppelganger was 5 cases only – please do not request more when sold out.

94 Points – Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate

“The first white I tasted from Artuke is the 2021 Trascuevas Blanco, a blend of 90% Viura with 5% each Malvasía Riojana and Palomino Fino from three vineyards in the villages of Baños de Ebro, Samaniego and Ábalos. The clusters were pressed, and the juice fermented with indigenous yeasts. The wine matured in similar proportions in 600-liter oak foudres and concrete tanks for 11 months. It’s expressive, clean and balanced, modern but with clear Rioja typicity, a little balsamic and spicy. It’s serious, very balanced and fresh, super tasty and with a chalky sensation in the finish. It has 13.1% alcohol and has a low pH of 3.04. Drink 2022-2029.”