Finca de los Locos, Rioja, 2017

Name: Finca de los Locos, Rioja
Brand: Bodegas Artuke
Price: 118.03 GBP

Available Vintages

all 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021

justerini & brooks tasting note

A 2.80 hectare single vineyard planted at 550m elevation on gravel and sandy soils in Banos de Ebro in Rioja Alavesa. More fluid than the denser 2016 but unexpectedly more complex too; very stony and Mediterranean with notes of fresh herb and dry earth, tannins fairly prominent but makes up for that with bags of character – undeniably a wine of quality and a clear sense of place. Tempranillo with 18% Graciano and 2% Viura. Aged entirely in large oak vat. Really interesting, finishing on mineral notes with rock salt and black strawberries.

critic reviews

94/100Luis Gutierrez,Robert Parker Wine Advocate

The first of the single-vineyards is the 2017 Finca de Los Locos, from a plot planted in 1981 in a terrace of Banos de Ebro at 120 meters above the level of the river, on gravel and sandy soils rich in limestone. It's mostly Tempranillo with 20% Graciano and a 2% pinch of white Viura fermented uncrushed with indigenous yeasts and matured in 500- and 600-liter barrels and two 3,500-liter oak foudre for 12 months. This wine has evolved tremendously since they moved away from the 225-liter barrels; and the priority now is to use large vats, and the remaining wine goes to large barrels. This represents a new level in this wine, which feels lively and vibrant, with great texture and nicely integrated oak. The nose is expressive and floral, with great elegance, the wine has a chiseled palate with very fine tannins and freshness. Plain great and with great finesse. I'd love to be able to time travel to see what this wine looks like in a decade from now. 11,500 bottles produced. It was bottled in January 2019.

DRINKING WINDOW 2019 - 2027

date of review 06/2019