Artuke, 'La Condenada'

La Condenada, a wine of minuscule production (~1000 bottles), is only the second Rioja and the first red to receive 100 points from Tim Atkin MW, who claimed it was "as close to perfection"as a Spanish red wine can get. It's composed of 80% Tempranillo, along with 20% of a blend of Garnacha, Graciano, and Palomino Fino. The grapes are vatted in 2000kg micro-tanks, and undergo daily punching down and pigeage. Spontaneous malolactic fermentation occurs in French oak barrels. La Condenada then spends 12-16 months in 600 liter French oak barrels before bottling after a soft filtration without stabilization.

Artuke is a portmanteau of the De Blanco brothers Arturo and Kike. Arturo is now the winemaker for Artuke, and Kike has dedicated himself to growing grapes exclusively.

La Condenada takes its name from the abandoned state of the plot which is called "Camino del Ciego" (the path of the blind) in Baños de Ebro. Arturo rescued it from its death sentence and after two years of care the grapes were of the right quality to make "La Condenada", or "The Doomed".

Learn more about Artuke here.