1998 - Artadi Vina Pison, Rioja

Senor Lopez de Lacalle says of the 1998 El Pison, “it is ripe but sometimes the tannin is more evident, a very well defined tannin, more structured”. After a decade in the bottle, it is displaying a lovely, complex, room-filling bouquet. While more structured than the 2004 and 2007, it still is a silky offering with loads of flavor that appeals to both the intellect and the senses. It will continue providing pleasure for another 15-20 years. No visit to Rioja would be complete without a visit to Artadi and maestro Juan Carlos Lopez de Lacalle. Artadi’s most recent releases are the 2007s which were reviewed in Issue 183. On this occasion, we sampled the promising 2009s from barrel in addition to the 4 vintages of the flagship Vina El Pison (all of which have been previously reviewed, the 1995 and 1998 by Robert Parker). The El Pison comes from a single Tempranillo vineyard planted in 1945 on pure limestone. Importer: Eric Solomon Selections, European Cellars, Charlotte, NC; tel. (704) 358-1565