Bodegas Artuke, Finca de los Locos Rioja Tinto 2020

95 points Falstaff
"Very clear wild berry fruit on the nose. Hints of laurel and pepper. Elegant on the palate with straightforward acidity and clear red fruit. Aroma of cherry and red currant. Fine-grained tannin and long finish."

94 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
"The 2020 Finca de Los Locos mentions Paraje Peñascalera, the place in Baños de Ebro, where they have a terrace that was planted in 1981 at 120 meters above the river with sandy and gravel soils with a high content of limestone that is currently being certified organic; the 2021 vintage should already carry the certification. It has a lot of finesse with subtle aromas and very integrated oak. It's 78% Tempranillo, 20% Graciano and 2% Viura that fermented uncrushed with indigenous yeasts and matured in 3,500-liter oak foudres for one year. It was expressive from the moment I poured it in the glass, and the palate is velvety with bright acidity and very fine tannins, nicely textured and elegant. It's 13.9% alcohol and feels very limestone driven. 9,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in January 2022.(Wine Advocate)

93 points Tim Atkin
"Finca de los Locos is situated on a terrace in Artuke's home village of Baños de Ebro on gravel and limestone soils at 550 metres. The 2020 release features Tempranillo with 20% Graciano and 2% Viura and needs a little more time in bottle. Meaty and slightly reductive, but there's plenty of fruit here, with flavours of plum and redcurrant and a focused, elegant finish."

Vinous Reverie Notes
Artuke Finca Los Locos is a coupage of the Tempranillo (80%) and Graciano (20%) varieties. The grapes come from a plot located on an upper terrace of the Ebro River, at about 550m above sea level, with sandy soil with gravel and a very limestone subsoil. The conditions of the land seemed to make it unfeasible to grow vineyards in the area, which is why the planting of the vineyard in 1981 was considered crazy. Hence the name of the estate and the wine. For its elaboration, after traditional vinification, it is aged for 16 months in new French oak barrels. Artuke Finca Los Locos is a single-plot wine, that is, a signature wine with particular characteristics that identify it and distinguish it from more homogenized wines.