1995 Pagos Viejos
Estimated value
Buying options
Tasting notes
With good argument, Artadi could well be considered the most exciting enterprise in Rioja. This wine is spectacular, but there are only 350 cases. The wine is 100% Tempranillo grown at high altitudes, raised in French oak, and bottled without filtration. There is an extraordinary elegance and purity, as well as remarkable intensity and symmetry. The 1995 Pagos Viejos Old Vines (from 50-year old vines) displays an opaque purple color in addition to a superb, pure nose of blackberry and cherry liqueur intertwined with pain grille, smoke, mineral, and anise aromas. Concentrated and rich, this offering represents the essence of the Tempranillo grape. This medium to full-bodied, harmonious wine can be drunk now as well as over the next 15-20 years. Importer: Eric Solomon, European Cellars, New York, NY; tel. (212) 924-4949
Critic scores
Robert Parker
About the producer
Owner and winemaker Juan Carlos López de Lacalle is among an elite group of global vintners whose expertise creates wines that stand above others in their regions. Artadi produces refined Rioja in unoaked and oaked styles, including superb Reservas and single-vineyard wines such as Viña El Pisón.