2017 - Artuke Paso las Manas, Rioja

A new single-vineyard red, the 2017 Paso Las Mañas is from a plot in the village of Samaniego on the slopes of the Sierra Cantabria at 700 meters in altitude. It's planted in a wild and quite isolated way, going up the slope. The Tempranillo vines were planted in 1990 but mostly in 2013 on limestone and fragmented mother rock soils. It fermented with indigenous yeasts and matured in a 3,500-liter oak foudre for 12 months. It has a different profile and is the wildest of the wines here; it has a slightly reductive hint and is a bit herbal, with a touch that somewhat makes me think of a Syrah from the Northern Rhône in its meaty personality. There are notes of thyme and rosemary. The tannins are very fine, and it has tasty flavors and a dry, supple finish. This is the one wine that is different here. And I like it a lot. 4,000 bottles were filled in January 2019. They used to make Cerro de Mulas from this plot before.