ARTUKE

I have rather more time for the rule that white wines are best with fish: certainly, almost all kinds of white fish and all kinds of shellfish work better with the citrus-condiment-like capabilities of such famously seafood-friendly dry whites as chablis, muscadet, and albariño than they do with the tannins and stronger flavours of red wine. All the same, there is plenty of pleasure to be found in teaming some types of meatier fish, such as tuna and salmon, with lighter reds. This is a style which was once associated with northerly, cooler climes, but which has of late become popular pretty much everywhere, with even such warmer-climate regions as Rioja (in the shape of Artuke’s super-juicy tinto) and Portugal’s Douro (the charmingly expressive Quinta da Pedra Alta Pedra a Pedra Clarete 2021; £12.95, thewinesociety.com) taking their place alongside traditional lighter styles such as the Loire’s A l’Origine Pinot Noir La Perrière 2022 (£10.49) as candidates to pair with tuna steak. David Williams, The Observer (Dec 2023)

95% Tempranillo, 5% Viura. Biodynamic. The name Artuke is a portmanteau of the names of the two bothers who run this family winery: Arturo and Kike de Miguel. The estate has 22 ha across 32 small plots on the upper terrace of the river Ebro in La Rioja Alta. Cherry and maybe a nip of sambuca on the nose. Tiny chew-chunks of bitterness roll over in the mouth like little bits of gravel. Full of character and gutsiness, but without any heft. Dark cherries (not quite ripe), green thyme, chervil and masses of blackcurrants, just on the edge of ripenesss. Blackcurrant leaf. Nippy and astringent with tannins just on the dry side but the fruit comes to the rescue. Another VGV L&S Spanish red! Drinking range: 2023 - 2026 Rating: 16.5 Tamlyn Currin - www.JancisRobinson.com (May 2023)

Arturo de Miguel makes some of the greatest reds in Spain, but he's also the man behind this brilliant value, unwooded carbonic maceration cuvée of Tempranillo and 5% Viura. Sappy, juicy and easy going, it's a fruit bomb that puts a smile on your face. Drinking range: 2023 - 2027 Rating: 90 Tim Atkin MW, www.timatkin.com (Feb 2023)