Ah-So is produced at the Lopez de LaCalle Artazu property in Navarra Spain. The winery was established in 1996. Juan Carlos Lopez de LaCalle of famed Bodegas Artadi was searching for the perfect terroir and vineyards with pioneering vintner Randall Graham of Bonny Doon. They found old deprived Garnacha vines buried in the hillside town of Artazu.

Located about 30km from the city of Pamplona which is know for the festival of San Fermin, aka ’Running of the Bulls”. Valdizarbe is the most northerly region flanked by the Pyrenees Mountain range and the Atlantic ocean. The hillsides of Navarra are the perfect location to produce world class Garnacha. The micro-climate in the town of Artazu is cool at night and warm during the day. The combination of warm days and cool night provides the perfect environment for Garnacha to reach full maturation while maintaining freshness and acidity.

The Lopez de LaCalle family realized immediately that there was something special about the old vineyards they had found. The clone of Garnacha that grew in this village had adapted to the specific micro-climate. Developing into a very unique clone. In fact the birthplace of Garnacha is about 180K south of the town of Artazu. To respect the tradition and Mother Nature the family propagated the new vineyards with cuttings from the old Garnacha vines buried in the hillside.

Ah-So is fortunate to benefit from the foresight of the Lopez de LaCalle family. Their willingness to blend the traditional viticulture methods and embracing the technology of canning wine is the first in Spain. Their commitment to the vineyards remains the same no matter the package. Never using fertilizers or synthetic chemicals. The Lacalle vineyards are farmed with the maximum respect for the environment using organic viticulture. The aim is to produce wines of authenticity and character never compromising.

AH-SO HISTORY

Carrie is a full time ICU nurse in Denver, CO, she is also the inspiration for Ah-So canned wine. While Carrie is not your typical wine industry veteran, she is is a wine and outdoor enthusiast. She loves to be outside with friends and family whenever she can. While there are plenty of canned wine options out there none met her standard for organic farming and low inter-vention winemaking. With those principals in mind Ah-So was founded in 2018 by good friends Carlos Lopez de Lacalle, Carrie and Dustin Chiappetta.

Ah-So is the first estate grown and estate canned wine in Spain. One might think that producing canned wine would be a leap for an iconic producer, but for Carlos Lopez de Lacalle the idea was simple… the wine was already in one big ‘can’ he just had to put it in a smaller one. With that the family purchased a canning line from Boulder, Colorado and had it shipped to the estate in Navarra, Spain.

This allows the family to have complete control of the wine from the vineyard to the can. Embracing technology has its advantages as the wine is canned in a near anaerobic environment (90% less oxygen than in bottled wine), so it remains completely fresh! Additionally, because of the sustainable light weight package the winery is able to ship almost double the amount of wine in a container making it carbon footprint less.

Ah-So White

Vines planted 2004-2010

Terroir: In the first years of vine growing in Artazu, the Lopez de Lacalle family discovered a few all vines of white Garnacha “hidden” among the old vines red Garnacha. Exploring for more white ganacha in the village of Artazu and the surroundings they found there were only around 20 vines left. In order preserve this heritage the family decided to recover this ancient clones. Today they own 5 hectares where they grow this exciting grape variety.

Harvest: Hand picked with sorting of berries and bunches

Variety: Garnacha Blanc

Vinification: Stainless Steel - Natural Yeast

Viticulture: Certified Organic. Never the use of herbicides or pesticides.

Aging: None

Canning: Estate Canned. The technology of canning at the estate enables the Lacalle family to truly embrace low intervention winemaking, low sulfur (25ppm) as the can is the preservation system

Ah-So White, Navarra Spain Tech Sheet

James Suckling 90 Points Shelf Talker

Ah-So Rosé

Vines planted 1998

Terroir: The viticultural area is well defined clay-calcareous soils and sandy soils. Both are nutrient-poor and rugged plots, where the climate is hard and full of contrasts: dry and hot in the summer, and cold and humid in the winter. Ah-So is the combination of tradition and technology.

Harvest: manual, with sorting of berries and bunches

Variety: 100% Garnacha

Vinification: Stainless Steel, Free Run Juice, Natural Yeast

Viticulture: Organic Farming Practices. Never the use of herbicides or pesticides.

Aging: None - canned at the estate to preserve the freshness of the vintage

Ah-So Rosé - Tech Sheet | JS 88 Points Shelf Talker

Wine Spectator 88 Points Shelf Talker | Wine Spectator Full Review

Ah-So Red

Vines planted 1998

Terroir: The viticultural area is well defined by both brown-limestone and clay-calcareous soils. There are nutrient-poor and rugged plots, where the climate is hard and full of contrasts: dry and hot in the summer, and cold and humid in the winter. Ah-So is the combination of tradition and technology.

Harvest: manual, with sorting of berries and bunches

Variety: 100% Garnacha

Vinification: Natural Yeast. Vinified in stainless-steel open top vats with cold maceration for 24-48 hours. Fermentation has taken 10-12 days with often cap management and a brief pumping over

Viticulture: Certified Organic. Never the use of herbicides or pesticides.

Aging: 3 months French Oak Barrels

Canning: Estate Canned. The technology of canning at the estate enables the Lacalle family to truly embrace low intervention winemaking, low sulfur (25ppm) as the can is the preservation system

Ah-So Red - Tech Sheet

Bubbles

Vines planted 1998

Harvest: manual, with sorting of berries and bunches

Variety: 100% Garnacha

Vinification: Vinification: Stainless Steel - Natural Yeast

Viticulture: Certified Organic. Never the use of herbicides or pesticides.

Aging: None.

Canning: Estate Canned. The technology of canning at the estate enables the Lacalle family to truly embrace low intervention winemaking, low sulfur (25ppm) as the can is the preservation system.