Bodegas y Viñedos El Sequé

Laderas de Pinoso came about due to Bodegas Carchelo and Bodegas Artadi showing interest in the joint development of a project based on the production and ageing of wines, concentrating on the region’s traditional variety: the Monastrell. Their ultimate goal is the attainment of high quality wines in this area of great potential and wine-producing tradition. For this purpose, they have Jean François Gadeau as their technical director, Agapito Rico takes charge of viticulture, and Vicente Milla is the oenologist.

The winery is located at El Sequé, at an altitude of 650 m, with Monastrell grapevines (80%) almost a hundred years old, and vineyards planted with Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Tempranillo. The brown-limy soils are very poor in clay and organic matter, which results in the best conditions for obtaining top quality wines, ones that bear a distinctly Mediterranean stamp.

The Artadi group of wineries is made up of Bodegas Artadi (Rioja), Bodegas y Viñedos Artazu (Navarra) and Bodegas y Viñedos El Sequé (Alicante).

NOTE FROM THE BODEGA on the USE OF SCREW TOPS: The Artadi group of bodegas has started using screw tops for its young wines, in the belief that they provide the best conditions for this type of wine. Although at the moment it is quite unusual to come across screw tops or caps in Spain, Artadi has decided to take the initiative and opt for this kind of closure for its young wines: Artadi joven (Rioja), Artazuri Tinto (Navarra), Artazuri Rosado (Navarra) and Laderas de El Sequé (Alicante).

For the most recent vintages, Artadi have ended up by discarding synthetic corks for reasons of quality concerning wine preservation. While in contrast, screw tops on bottles of young wines have shown that: (1) they are hermetically sealed, avoiding any contact with the air outside and thereby preserving a young wine’s aromatic characteristics and freshness; (2) they eliminate the risk of unpleasant cork aromas and tastes that can arise if a natural cork has been contaminated; (3) they have proven to be the most convenient option for storage, since bottles may remain in an upright position; and, in complete contrast to natural cork, they do not need to come into direct contact with the wine for it to retain its own special properties.

According to the wine critic Robert Parker, by the year 2015 the majority of the world’s wines will be using screw tops, not just because they are easy and convenient to use, but basically due to the quality factor.