About this wine
Pagos Viejos was Artadi's first great single-vineyard red, sourced from the estate's oldest and most elevated Tempranillo plots — vines over 75 years old across three prized sites in Rioja Alavesa. Hand-harvested with rigorous selection, fermented with indigenous yeasts in small stainless steel tanks, and aged 18-24 months in roughly 80% new French oak, it is bottled unfiltered to preserve a pure expression of old-vine terroir. Complex and seductive, with black fruit, dried herbs, spice, tobacco and graphite framed by firm, refined tannins.
A serious, age-worthy red that rewards patience — decant well ahead and pair with something equally bold.
Sommelier's Note
"Before El Pisón took the spotlight, Pagos Viejos was Artadi's proof that old-vine Tempranillo could rival Rioja's grandest names — it still delivers that argument today."
Food Pairings
Grilled lamb chops, chorizo and bean stew, paella, roasted beef, game, and aged cheeses all stand up to its concentration and structure.
When to drink it
Special occasions, milestone celebrations, fine dining pairings with red meat or game.
Specs
- Grape Varieties
- Tempranillo
- Style
- Red
- Alcohol
- 14.5%
- Price Range
- $90-170 (varies significantly by vintage)
Terroir & Winemaking
100% Tempranillo from three of Artadi's oldest, highest-elevation vineyard sites in Rioja Alavesa, vines averaging over 75 years old. Hand-harvested with vineyard selection, fermented with native yeasts in small stainless steel tanks, aged 18-24 months in approximately 80% new French oak. Bottled unfiltered.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What makes Pagos Viejos different from Artadi's other wines?
- It is sourced exclusively from Artadi's oldest, highest-elevation vineyard plots (vines over 75 years old), making it more concentrated and structured than village-level wines like Viñas de Gain, while sitting just below the flagship Viña El Pisón.
- How long can Pagos Viejos age?
- Thanks to its firm tannin structure and old-vine concentration, well-stored bottles can develop gracefully for 15-20+ years.
- What food pairs best with Pagos Viejos?
- Grilled or roasted red meats, game, and aged cheeses match its power and tannic structure well.
- Is Pagos Viejos labelled as Rioja?
- No — since Artadi's 2015 withdrawal from the DOCa Rioja classification, Pagos Viejos is released as Vino de España, though the grapes still come from Rioja Alavesa.
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Talk to the SommelierMore wines from this producer
アルタディ ラ・ポサ・デ・バリェステロス
Artadi La Poza de Ballesteros
RedTempranillo
La Poza de Ballesteros is a single-vineyard Tempranillo from a 3.6-hectare, west-facing plot in Elvillar de Álava, planted in 1960 on deep brown soils. The afternoon sun exposure and deeper soils give the grapes extra ripeness compared to Artadi's other sites, producing a powerful, dense wine with ripe dark fruit, spice and an earthy, fresh minerality. Grapes are organically farmed, fermented in open-top vats with daily pigeage and pump-overs for 10-12 days, then aged around 9 months in French oak.
アルタディ ヴィーニャ・エル・ピソン
Artadi Viña el Pisón
RedTempranillo
Viña el Pisón is the crown jewel of Artadi—sourced from a singular 2.4-hectare vineyard in Laguardia planted in 1945, perched at 480 metres on deep calcareous clay soils. Widely considered one of Spain's greatest red wines, it is characterised by profound complexity, silky tannins, and a persistent mineral-driven finish. Robert Parker awarded the 2004 vintage a perfect 100 points. Artadi withdrew from the DOCa Rioja in 2015 to prioritise terroir authenticity over the region's ageing-category label system.
アルタディ ヴィーニャス・デ・ガン
Artadi Viñas de Gain
RedTempranillo
Viñas de Gain is Artadi's foundational village-level red, sourced from organically farmed Tempranillo vineyards aged 20-30 years around Laguardia, the Sierra de Toloño and the Sonsierra. Hand-harvested and vinified in open-top steel vats before 12 months' ageing in French oak, it captures Artadi's terroir-driven philosophy at an accessible level — fresh, fruit-driven and juicy, with velvety, sweet tannins. Like all Artadi wines it is released outside the DOCa Rioja classification, labelled simply as Vino de España.