2017 Artadi Vinas de Gain Vineyard Selection Spain 750 ml

Most Spanish cult legends, like Vega Sicilia and La Rioja Alta, took generations to earn their exalted status among the Old World greats. 

Then there’s Artadi. They’re an upstart, a renegade, and by pioneering terroir-transparent reds, they’ve quickly become one of Spain’s most revered wineries—and their 94-point Viñas de Gaín is in keeping with every phenomenal bottle they craft. 

In his glowing endorsement of the 2017 Viñas de Gaín, James Suckling said the wine has “a sleek, smooth-honed feel with such impressive freshness and depth.” With its deep red fruit and layers of fresh tobacco, sage, and plum built on rich, fine tannins, it’s a wine that bears the fingerprints of a modern Tempranillo master.

It’s difficult to overstate the importance of Juan Carlos López de Lacalle, who recognized how great the Artadi vineyards could be back when they were part of a cooperative of thirteen growers. He purchased the estate and eschewed Rioja’s fixation on aging requirements, instead crafting single-vineyard bottlings with a focus on terroir. The result, as the Viñas de Gaín shows, are wines of extraordinary purity and elegance. 

The Viñas de Gaín is sourced from vineyards located between 1,470 and 2,300 feet of elevation in the villages of Laguardia, Elvillar, and Leza. The grapes from the 20- to 30-year-old vines are treated with the utmost care: They’re farmed organically, without pesticides, and hand-harvested in tiny batches. After vinification in stainless steel, the wine spends a year in French oak barrels, giving it a softness and a kiss of vanilla and toast that makes it ready to enjoy right now.