Bodegas y Vinedos Artuke Rioja

Pairs with: Spanish chorizo tapas, grilled pork chops, wood-fired pizza, visual-heavy street food, or light charcuterie like salchichón and mild cheeses

Good for: Casual pizza nights, warm outdoor gatherings, or introducing someone to a lighter, incredibly fresh, and fruit-forward style of Rioja without any heavy oak

Grape: 95% Tempranillo and 5% Viura (a white grape)

I am from: Rioja Alavesa, Spain (Sourced from the terraced village of Baños de Ebro)

The Story: Bodegas y Viñedos Artuke is a small, family-run estate that stands at the absolute forefront of Rioja’s modern "grower" revolution. The name "Artuke" is a brilliant portmanteau of the two brothers running it, Arturo and Kevin de Miguel. Rather than following the mainstream Rioja tradition of blending grapes from all over the region and aging them in heavily vanilla-scented American oak, the brothers completely reject standard aging classifications (like Crianza or Reserva). Instead, they focus on showcasing pure village terroir. For this flagship entry red, they practice an ancient Rioja Alavesa tradition: carbonic maceration. They ferment whole clusters of grapes (with a splash of the local white grape, Viura) using wild yeasts in stainless steel and rest the wine briefly in concrete tanks. No oak, no makeup—just raw, joyful expression.

Why You'll Love Me: It is a burst of high-energy fruit and absolute, unadulterated drinkability. It pours a vibrant, bright cherry-ruby color with distinctive purple glints. On the nose, it is an absolute perfume explosion, showing off intoxicating aromas of freshly crushed wild strawberries, raspberries, and violets, accented by a playful, classic carbonic hint of banana and mountain herbs. On the palate, it is light, exceptionally juicy, and silky-smooth. Because of the whole-cluster fermentation, the tannins are virtually unnoticeable and velvety, kept wonderfully refreshing by a lively acidity that zips straight into a clean, berry-laden finish.