Paso las Mañas 2021

A red wine that prizes freshness over fullness: aromatically expressive, yet unfussy and mineral, carried by balance, energy and length.

The grapes grow at 700 metres above sea level in a limestone vineyard heavily exposed to wind, at the foot of the Sierra Cantabria in the Basque Rioja Alavesa. Arturo and Kike de Miguel Blanco farm 30 hectares from Baños de Ebro, spread across 72 parcels between 550 and 720 metres. The soils are a patchwork of limestone, sandstone and gravel, farming is organic, and the often terraced sites allow no mechanisation. The cool nights at these altitudes give the wines freshness and precision.

Single-varietal Tempranillo, hand-harvested. Gentle extraction and ageing in large foudres keep the oak in the background and bring the origin to the fore. In the cellar, fermentation happens spontaneously with natural yeasts; the estate forgoes cultured yeasts, excessive sulphuring and aggressive filtration. 14.0% Vol., vinified dry.

Fresh and clear, with fine-grained, almost chalky tannins and enormous grip. The juicy primary fruit remains layered, as the nose had already signalled with red fruits, herbal notes and an earthy minerality. The finish is long and carried by tension.

Artuke classifies its wines not by ageing time but by origin — from village wine to single-vineyard wine to single-parcel wine. The estate belongs to the Rioja & Roll movement and the Futuro Vinador collective, and ranks among the leading names of the new Rioja.