Badiola, Vino de Pueblo, Leza L3Z4, Rioja Alavesa, Spain
This new fantastic winery was founded in 2018, is a winery based in the heart of Rioja Alavesa which offers a new perspective on Rioja wines: here the emphasis is on site (terroir) , rather than ageing. The vineyards are situated on the slopes of the Sierra Cantabria, predominantly surrounding the villages of Villabuena, Leza, Laguardia and Baños del Ebro, with each terroir producing wines with distinctive character. The vines are extremely old and low yielding; many were planted in the 1920s, 1930s and 1940s and they deliver concentrated juice with each having a clear identity. ‘
The Tempranillo was made without excessive use of new oak or oxidative ageing. 47% of the wine was matured in first and second-use French barriques of 300 litres for nine months and the balance was aged in stainless steel tanks on its fine lees. Blending and bottling took place on January 31st 2019, with just 5,066 bottles being produced.
As a result this is a perfectly balanced and smooth wine delivering rich aromas of dark cherries complemented y delicate hints of spice and herbal notes of thyme and rosemary.
