Country: Spain Region: Rioja Varietal: Tempranillo Vintage: 2018 Colour: Red Style: Dry Producer: Bodegas Badiola Description: Badiola, founded in 2018, is a winery based in the heart of Rioja Alavesa. Badiola offers a new perspective on Rioja wines: here the emphasis is on site, rather than ageing. The vineyards are situated on the slopes of the Sierra Cantabria, predominantly surrounding the villages of Villabuena, Leza, Samaniego, Laguardia, Navaridas and Baños del Ebro, with each terroir producing wines with distinctive character. The vines are extremely old; many were planted in the 1920s, 1930s and 1940s and they deliver concentrated juice with a clear identity. The winemaking philosophy is to obtain very pure, fresh and well-textured wines that reflect their origin. Current Denominación de Origen regulations in Rioja only permit the use of a village name on the label by the location of the winery (i.e. the building and not the vineyards) thus the wine from the Villabuena vineyards is marketed as V1BN4. The grapes come from carefully selected hillside parcels situated at around 500 metres elevation surrounding the village of Villabuena. The area is protected by the Sierra Cantabria and the micro climate imparts the wines with excellent balance between freshness, elegance and good fruit concentration. The bush vines are planted in limestone soils and are cultivated with respect for the environment, using minimal sprays of copper and sulphur when required. Tasting Note : This 2018 V1BN4 is precise and pure with red berry aromas leading to a supple and elegant palate, with spicy nuances, finely grained tannins and an amazing flow through to the finish..