Phinca El Vedao, Rioja Alavesa, Bodegas Bhilar 2019
Robert Parker 93 (2024)
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Why this wine
Pure Garnacha from Rioja Alavesa is unusual, and this one comes from old, dry-farmed bush vines on limestone, farmed biodynamically and ploughed by horse. Bhilar is one of the region's most respected small producers, and at this price the three years in used oak and the sense of place are hard to beat.
At a glance
- Grape
- Garnacha
- Region
- Rioja, Spain
- Alcohol
- 14.50%
- Body
- Medium
- Acidity
- High
- Tannins
- Medium
- Sweetness
- Dry
- Drink
- Medium (5-10 yrs)
- Pairs with
- Red Meat, Poultry & Pork, Cheese
How it tastes
Red-berried and floral on the nose, with the fruit staying vibrant on the palate thanks to cool-climate acidity. The tannins are fine, and there is a subtle chalky grip from the limestone that gives the wine its shape and length — 100% Garnacha.
The producer
Bodegas Bhilar is a small winery in Elvillar, Rioja Alavesa, run by David Sampedro and Melanie Hickman; David grew up in the vineyards he now farms, and Tim Atkin MW named him Winemaker of the Year in 2020. The land has been farmed organically for over 20 years and biodynamically for 15, with horses replacing tractors in 2014 and Demeter certification since 2022. Phinca El Vedao is a village wine from three high-altitude terraces in the sheltered El Vedao valley, where old, dry-farmed Garnacha bush vines sit on rocky limestone soils; the fruit is hand-picked, destemmed and fermented with wild yeasts in 2,000-litre concrete vats, then aged three years in used 400- and 500-litre French oak. 2019 was an excellent year here: a warm summer with enough rain and very little disease, giving healthy, well-balanced fruit.
Food and drinking
Try it with roast lamb, grilled pork chops with herbs, chorizo and bean stews, or a plate of aged Manchego. Serve at 16–18°C; half an hour in a decanter opens it up nicely. Drinking beautifully now, it will keep developing for five to eight years. Suitable for vegetarians and vegans.