2021 El Pison
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Tasting notes
The 2021 Viña El Pisón started a little reduced and needed a little bit of time in the glass to open up. It's sharper than previous vintages of this wine, with a superb mouthfeel and very elegant tannins. The chalky sensation in the palate is quite marked. The wine has amazing balance and the components to develop for a long time in bottle. It didn't stop growing in the glass, and that is a sign of a wine that is going to grow in bottle. I'd give it some more time before pulling the cork. 5,500 bottles were filled in June 2023.
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James Suckling
Luis Gutiérrez, Wine Advocate
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El Pisón is one of the most renowned modern wines in Rioja, originating from a small Tempranillo plot in Laguardia. It encapsulates Artadi's essence in a single wine. The 2021 El Pisón exhibits a garnet color with a purple sheen. It features expressive, reductive aromas of crushed plums and bay leaf, complemented by hints of violet, herbs and nuanced oak. On the palate, it is dry, fairly lean and loose, delivering a plush, infusion-like texture that lingers with an ethereal and pure finish. Tasting the 2021 reveals why it is among the most celebrated parcels in the region. Truly a fabulous wine.
Reductive at first before deep aromas emerge of mineral, fine herbs, white pepper, oyster shells, hibiscus, freshly chopped blueberries and forest berries. Really dissolved and transparent on the palate with great tension and immaculate tannins. Persistent, mineral-driven finish. Already approachable now but this has impeccable balance, allowing it to age effortlessly. Better give it two years to get rid of the reduction.
The 2021 Viña El Pisón had a similar élevage as the other wines, as they do not use the new barrels in the top wines like they used to do in the past; they try to have similar percentage of new barrels in all the wines. This is silky, a little riper and more aromatic than the 2020 and with a very long aftertaste. The wine is not oaky at all; it's quite fruit-driven, and as usually happens with this wine, it's quite austere, a little closed and backward. And despite its concentration and power, it doesn't seem to weigh heavy. Persistent. It's been in tank since June 2021 after it finished malolactic fermentation in barrel.
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.