Rioja: Bodegas Altanza
Visit a unique Rioja winery and discover Altanza, a place where wine tourism goes far beyond a tour with tastings.
Structure
Drinking window
Latest scored vintage 2018: best 2028 to 2048.
vintage10 yrs30 yrs32 yrs
Critic scores
| Critic | Vintage | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Wine Advocate reviewed 2021 | 2018 | 97/100 |
| Tim Atkin reviewed 2020 | 2018 | 97/100 |
Scores as published by each critic for the vintage shown.
In the glass
Aroma: black cherry, blueberry, violet, graphite, sweet spice
Palate: silky black fruit, fine-grained tannin, mineral, floral
Spain's most celebrated single-vineyard Tempranillo, from a tiny old-vine plot at Laguardia; intense yet ethereal, with floral lift, silky tannins and profound minerality.
What it pairs with
-
Venison loin
Dark game meets El Pison's silky black fruit and graphite. -
Chuleton de buey a la brasa
Find chuleton de buey a la brasa on TableJourney →
A grand aged-beef chop for Spain's icon single-vineyard red. -
Aged hard cheese
Crystalline cheese sharpens the long mineral finish.
How to serve Vina El Pison
Allow 95 minutes from open to pour.
- Open and decant. Open 90 minutes before serving and pour into a decanter to aerate.
- Serve at 16-18°C. Cellar temperature (16-18°C) is the band for this style. Warmer pushes alcohol forward; colder dampens aromatics.
- Glassware. Use a large Bordeaux-style glass: the bowl shape rewards the wine's structure.
- Pair with. Venison loin, Chuleton de buey a la brasa, Aged hard cheese. Match the wine's structure to the dish's fat and salt.
History
Vina El Pison comes from a 2.4-hectare old-vine plot first bottled on its own in the 1990s. It is one of Spain's most sought-after wines and the flagship of Artadi's site-driven philosophy.
- 1985: Artadi founded by Juan Carlos Lopez de Lacalle
- 2015: Artadi leaves the Rioja DOCa to label by site
Facts
- Producer
- Artadi · visiting guide
- Grapes
- Tempranillo (100%)
- Classification
- Vino de Espana (formerly DOCa Rioja, left 2015)
- Oak
- Around 18 to 20 months in new French oak
- ABV
- 14.5%
- Price
- EUR 250 to 500 at retail
- Drinking window
- 10 to 30 from vintage
- First vintage
- 1985
Frequently asked about Vina El Pison
What does Vina El Pison taste like?
On the nose, black cherry, blueberry, violet, graphite, sweet spice. On the palate, silky black fruit, fine-grained tannin, mineral, floral. Structurally full-bodied, firm tannins, high acidity with a very long finish. Spain's most celebrated single-vineyard Tempranillo, from a tiny old-vine plot at Laguardia; intense yet ethereal, with floral lift, silky tannins and profound minerality.
When should I drink Vina El Pison?
Drink 10 to 30 from vintage. Young vintages benefit from 30-90 minutes of decanting; mature bottles should be handled carefully for sediment.
What food pairs with Vina El Pison?
Venison loin is the canonical pairing. Other strong matches include Chuleton de buey a la brasa and Aged hard cheese. Dark game meets El Pison's silky black fruit and graphite.
Is Vina El Pison vegan?
No: the producer uses traditional animal-derived fining agents (typically egg whites or isinglass) during clarification, so the wine is not vegan.
What grapes are in Vina El Pison?
The blend is Tempranillo (100%). The wine is classified as Vino de Espana (formerly DOCa Rioja, left 2015).
Tags
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