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Artazu
A Californian winemaker changed everything. Bodegas y Viñedos Artazu was founded in 1996 when Randall Graham of Bonny Doon inspired Juan Carlos López de Lacalle with the forgotten potential of Garnacha. At a time when Navarra used the grape only for rosé, López de Lacalle acquired the dilapidated village cooperative of Artazu – and began the rehabilitation of an underestimated variety.
Today, bush vines over 60 years old grow here at altitudes of up to 600 metres, including pre-phylloxera treasures. Atlantic winds bring freshness, calcareous soils bring minerality. Since 2011, the winery has been working biodynamically.
More about Artazu
How a Californian Saved Garnacha
The story begins with an unlikely duo: Juan Carlos López de Lacalle, the visionary behind the legendary Artadi in Rioja, and Randall Graham, the eccentric founder of Bonny Doon in California. Graham, a passionate advocate of Rhône varieties, opened López de Lacalle's eyes to the dormant potential of Garnacha. In 1996, the Spaniard acquired the run-down cooperative in the medieval wine village of Artazu – and sparked a quiet revolution.
Valdizarbe: Where the Atlantic Meets the Pyrenees
Artazu's vineyards lie in the Valdizarbe sub-district, the northernmost corner of Navarre. Here, where Atlantic winds meet Pyrenean coolness, conditions prevail that would be unthinkable elsewhere in Spain: pronounced day-night temperature swings that preserve acidity and freshness in the grapes. The chalky clay and sandy soils at 450 to 600 metres elevation give the wines their characteristic minerality.
The Santa Cruz vineyard site holds the greatest treasure – pre-phylloxera vines, over a hundred years old, still standing on their own roots. From them comes the Santa Cruz de Artazu, which regularly receives over 95 points from James Suckling.
Biodynamics and 500-Litre Barrels
2011 marked a turning point: the conversion to biodynamic viticulture and the acquisition of 12 hectares in San Martín de Unx, where 35-year-old bush vines grow on a single slope. From them comes the Pasos de San Martín, named after the village.
López de Lacalle's philosophy is clear: "A feel for nature and tireless work will lead us to success." He vinifies in 500-litre barrels, larger than standard barriques, to restrain the wood and let the fruit speak. The result is Garnacha of an elegance and freshness rarely found in Spain.
The Family Grows
Artazu was just the beginning. In 1999 came El Sequé in Alicante, where López de Lacalle attempts the same with Monastrell. And with Carlos and Patricia, the next generation is already ready to carry on the legacy. They share their father's conviction: that great wines can only come from single vineyard sites, managed with respect and patience.