Artuke 2021 Trascuevas Blanco 750ml

Now into its second vintage, Trascuevas is the only white in the Artuke range, made with an unusual blend of Viura and 5% each of Malvasía and Palomino from Ábalos, Baños de Ebro and Samaniego. Fermented and aged in concrete and older barrels, this has flavours of lemongrass, lime and citrus peel and a tapering, mineral-etched finish.

Score: 94 points -- Tim Atkin, Rioja 2024, Special Report

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. 4,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in August 2022.

Score: 94 points -- Wine Advocate, 2024