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Artifice Tinto, Borja Perez Viticultor, Tenerife, Spain 2022
Artifice Tinto, Borja Perez Viticultor, Tenerife, Spain 2022
The Artifice Tinto 2022 is made from Listan Negro and has everything you could desire from a Tenerife red, evoking wild cherry, pomegranate, strawberry and burnt orange peel. It’s only medium-bodied and fairly dainty for a red wine, with a tender core of sweet red cherry and raspberry fruit, similar in its flavour DNA to a Pinot Noir, but with intriguing background hints of smolten rock and the iron forge.
It’s the sort of wine I would love to be served at a groovy wine-bar like Sager and Wilde or The Remedy, either on its own or with food, or on my own or with company, because even if I’m on my own, it’s bound to pique the curiosity of my fellow drinkers and I probably won’t be drinking alone for long. 12% alc.. 10 months in oak. Organic/ biodynamically farmed. Drink now-2029.
Organic farming
Press reviews:
The Wine Advocate (previous vintage): “The 2021 Artífice Tinto follows the path of 2018, with concrete, foudre and barrels, part of stems and a fresh and more Atlantic character. It has a moderate 12% alcohol but is still juicy and gentle, with its medium-bodied palate and fine-grained texture, floral and always peppery with volcanic echoes. Drink now-2028.” 93+ points
Decanter (previous vintage): “Inheriting the family estate in 2011, former racing car mechanic Borja Pérez opted to make his own wine rather than sell off his grapes locally – a crucial decision that led to him becoming one of the best viticulturists in the Canary Islands, sourcing old-vine fruit from small growers locally. His Artifice Tinto is a definitive expression of the Listán Negro grape grown on the Tenerife’s volcanic soils. Floral and dark fruit notes. Full-bodied, with a line of fresh orange acidity. Ultimately there’s a citrus freshness, and a long, concentrated finish." 95 points
Jancis Robinson MW (previous vintage): “Very stinky nose - too much for me!” 14.5 points [i.e. it’s not to everyone’s taste!]
Customer comments:
“The Tenerife wine is delicious!” - Mr A.R.
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Other wines from the same producer…
This was our favourite red wine at Vinateros, the ‘new wave’ Spanish trade tasting that takes place in London every 2 years. It’s made from the Baboso Negro grape grown on the western side of Tenerife in the trips-off-the-tongue appellation of Ycoden-Daute-Isora. As you would expect, it has a subtle, volcanic smokiness to it, as well as a peppery character, but there’s so much more to it than spice and mineral accents. It’s taut, nervy and focused on the palate, offering zesty red berry and violet flavours, but the fruit is succulent and sweet and fills the mouth with floral cherry and pomegranate and a little nutty oak, finishing on a tender note that evokes some of the best wines from Beaujolais or the Jura. Exceptional!
Technical data: Baboso Negro from a single vineyard called La Vizacondesa. 20-year-old ungrafted vines planted on clay-loamy soils. 30% of the grapes are whole-bunch fermented without crushing. Cold maceration for 48 hours followed by stainless-steel fermentation.. After pressing, the wine is racked into used 600-litre French oak casks. Barrel maturation lasts 12 months and the wine is not stabilised or filtered. Organic farming.
Press review:
The Wine Advocate: “As with the rest of the wines, I tasted two vintages of this red, so I also sampled the 2017 Ignios Orígenes Baboso Negro, which matured in a 1,500-litre oak foudre (and one barrique), so the rate at which the wine takes oxygen during the élevage was very different from the 2016. This felt much younger, and it had a creamy twist that was probably added by the new oak in which it was aged. It has plenty of fine-grained tannins that might require a little more time in bottle. Drink now-2024.” 93 points
“Terre Nere continues to raise the bar with their Etna Rosso.” - Vinous
A delicious and characterful Nerello Mascalese from the northern slopes of Mount Etna, which articulates its origins as eloquently as a Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon or a Northern Rhone Syrah articulate theirs. The aromas are classic Etna Rosso, a heady cocktail of shiny red fruits, peach fuzz, raspberry and pumice stone. That volcanic minerality brings a slight tannic austerity to the fruit and a suggestion of smooth grey pebbles, but it’s not drying, because the fruit is ample, so you sense the pit as well as the cherry, the stone as well as the plum. 14% alc. Organic (certified). Drink now-2030.
Organic (certified)
Press review:
Vinous (previous vintage): “The 2023 Etna Rosso seduces with a burst of ripe cherries, cloves and sweet rose aromas. This is an energetic and wickedly fresh effort with a cascade of wild berry fruit and crunchy mineral tones that flow beneath an air of violet inner florals. A coating of fine tannins frames the finish without slowing its momentum as this tapers off with amazing length and a saturation of raspberry. The 2023 aims to please. Drink now-2029” 92 points
“Saint Jacques is by far the most important wine I make.”- Raúl Pérez.
An astonishing value Mencia from one of Spain’s most important (and hairy) winemakers, Raúl Pérez. It pours a bright, glossy, crimson colour and the appearance seems to translate into flavour, as the palate evokes shiny purple- and blue-skinned fruits (damsons, blueberries, blackcurrants) with succulent acids, black pepper and a hint of cherry blossom. There’s a seamless feel to the polished fruit and you can really taste the quality of the harvest, which is clearly the winemaker’s intention, as there is no oak flavour. It’s vibrant and beautifully supple with fine-grained tannins and a hint of cool graphite, which elevates the fruit. Raul makes some stunning ‘single vineyard’ expressions of Mencia, which have a bit more structure than this blend from old vineyards on different soils, but if you want to get beneath the skin of a grape, a winemaker and a region, then this is your backstage pass. 13% alc. Drink now-2030.
Organic farming
Press review:
The Wine Advocate: “The 2023 Ultreia Saint Jacques has a lifted nose. In the rainy 2023, they selected from the many plots in different lieux-dits of Valtuille, which this year included El Val and El Cepón in Villafranca, mostly from very old vines, with 50% of the grapes purchased from growers. It fermented mostly with full clusters and had a long maceration and matured in used barrels. It has contained ripeness and less than 13% alcohol. All the 2023 reds from the Ultreia range are very clean. Drink now-2030.” 93+ points
Jancis Robinson MW (previous vintage): “Thoroughly satisfying, complex, lifted perfume that already shows some integration even if quite a hit of acidity and a little tannin on the palate. It doesn't have the sweet majesty of Bierzo reds costing many times as much but is clearly an artisanal product from the heavily bearded Pérez. Refreshing and only medium body in terms of impact on the palate. Very Good Value.” 17 points
Customer comments:
“This is an amazing wine.” - Mr. P.D.
”Another case of the Raul Perez Saint Jacques Ultreia if available; it’s brilliant!” - Mr. A.R.
”A hit! Muy, muy bien. Should have had a whole case. Please may I have another 6? - Ms. V. J.
“By the way, the Raul Perez, Ultreia St Jacques was absolutely brilliant for the money.” - Mr M.B.
“Love that Ultreia. I will do another 12!” - Mr. P.N.
”Outstanding!!” - Mr. P. J.
“Very much enjoyed the first bottle last night. Lovely fruit and balance. Slipped down very - too! easily!” - Mr J.G.
”Drank a bottle of the Ultreia St Jacques on weekend. Lovely!” - Mr. D.A.
”This is a damn good wine.” - Mr. D.A.
“I should say I have really enjoyed the Ultreia St Jacques - quite delicious!” - Mr S.C.
”Delicious and superb value.” - Mr. A.T.
A beautifully aromatic Nerello Mascalese sourced from pre-phylloxera vines on the slopes of Mount Etna, fermented with wild yeasts and aged for 6 months in French oak barrels. The combination of the altitude (2,000 feet above sea level) and the rich, mineral soil, give the wine extraordinary aromatic lift, almost exotic, suggesting chopped red cherries, peach fuzz and whetstone, while the palate is as buoyant and fresh, as the somewhat pale colour suggests it will be, but there's real fascination and depth in there too, as you might find in a ripe Nebbiolo or a richly-scented Pinot Noir. 13.5% alc. Drink now-2029.
Biodynamic farming.
Customer comments (including previous vintage):
“All the hype about this wine is more than deserved..... absolutely stunning!” - Mr. R. H.
“As always, thank you for spotting the wine - another absolute banger, which blew away the conventional Burgundy we had at the same meal.” - Mr. R.E.
”That Etna Rosso is absolutely amazing. Thanks so much for the recommendation” - Mr. A.D.
“Loving it (too much!). Would be happy to take two more cases if you have them.” - Mr. I. W.
”I much enjoyed your Etna Rosso last night – it was lighter than I expected but very smooth and delicious." - Mr. A.M.
"Like drinking liquid silk, really light and cherry-scented but with that dark, basalt thing going on too. Ethereal and magnificent. Love it." - Mr. J.W.
"I did just cracked open a bottle of Ciauria and it is excellent!" - Mr T.J.
"I thought the Ciauria was really lovely! Great find." - Mr. J.L.
"It's incredible! I've never had anything like it." - Mr. G.D.
"Tried the Etna Rosso last night and it was delicious!" - Mr. J.F.
"You can tell from the repeat order that the Ciauria has gone down very well. Looking forward to receiving the order, looking forward to drinking it more." - Mr. G.S.
“Stunning and incredibly priced.” - The Wine Advocate, 95 points
The buzz about the Ribeira Sacra region is only going to get louder when people taste wines like this. The region seems to be spearheading a new direction in Spanish wine towards lighter, fresher, silkier reds with lower alcohol and an appetising dryness that makes them so versatile with food, showing more of an affinity with the textural fragility of Pinot Noir, for example, than the ‘oak soups’ that you often find in modern Rioja or the Ribera del Duero.
This is a fantastic introduction to Spain’s new bearing, which is really gathering pace in the ‘Atlantic’ appellations around Galicia, and I can't recommend it highly enough. The Lousas ‘Vinas de Aldea’ is Envinate's equivalent of a ‘village’ wine, in the Burgundian sense, sourced from 12 different parcels in various sub-regions of the Ribeira Sacra ranging from 20 to 60 years of age and located between 400 and 600 metres altitude on varied soils of slate and granite depending on the location.
The Vinas de Aldea 2023 is predominantly made from Mencia, with a few local varieties thrown in for good measure (Brancellao, Merenzao, Mouraton, Bastardo, Garnacha Tintorera), and the grapes were foot-trodden and fermented with whole-clusters (i.e. with the stems) in small open vats before transferring to 2,000 litre barrels for 11 months. It’s oh-so-fine and elegant and beautifully tailored to fit its shape. The aromas are pure and wild, suggestive of shiny cherry skins, fraises des bois and crushed purple flowers, while the flavours glide across the palate, evoking dark cherry, juicy red grapes, blood orange, a hint of white pepper (typical of Mencia) and a suggestion of cool minerals. It tastes best if you drink it slightly below room temperature. It’s an utterly beguiling Spanish red and you shouldn’t hesitate in snapping some up while stocks last. 13% alc. Drink now-2032.
Organically farmed
Vegan-friendly
Press review:
The Wine Advocate [bottled sample]: “The bottled 2023 Lousas Viñas de Aldea is perfumed, intoxicating and showy, with a floral note of dried rose petals that I also found in the Misturado from this same vintage. There's also a flinty smokiness that gives the wine a different twist. It's stunning and incredibly priced. Drink now-2032.” 95 points
The Wine Advocate [barrel sample]: “I tasted a very promising barrel sample of the 2023 Lousas Viñas de Aldea, cropped from a more Atlantic, cooler and rainier year (especially when compared with the super warm and dry 2022). Right now, it's super primary and they are slowly introducing larger oak foudres (3,000 litres) and lowering the impact of the oak in the wine. This has very good freshness, purity and elegance, reminiscent of past vintages like 2021 or 2016. It has terrific balance. Drink now-2032.” (94-96) points
Customer comment:
“We tried the Lousas Vinas de Aldea over the weekend. It was quite delicious. In fact it was so good we drank a bottle on Saturday and opened another on Sunday. So clearly I am going to need some more.” - Mr. Q.J.