Badiola’s Las Parcelas comes from 300 carefully selected parcels of old bush Tempranillo vines planted in limestone soils, resulting in elegant wines that are fresh and age worthy

Bodega Badiola, was founded in 2018, part of the Peninsula Vinicultore Group when they bought an old company in the in Rioja Alavesa, the Basque region in the east and south east of Rioja. Their vineyards are situated on the slopes of the Sierra Cantabria, mostly tiny parcels the average size being only 0.3 hectares with an average vine age of 50 years but some of the vines are obviously significantly older. With respect for the environment, minimal spraying of copper and sulphur only are used, so all but Organic.

The Las Parcelas comes from 300 carefully selected parcels of old bush Tempranillo vines planted in limestone soils, resulting in elegant wines that are fresh and age worthy due to the balancing acidity. The winemaking philosophy is to keep that purity and freshness by careful us of oak, giving a real point of difference to the traditional oaky Riojas.

On the nose and palate, the fruit is very much to the fore with cherry and blackberry fruit with hints of spice and with fresh acidity and almost chalky tannins from that limestone soils. Though it is still young give it some air and it really blossoms, drinking significantly better at dinner rather than lunch when first opened, so will keep well too.

Winemaker Tao Plantón ferments at moderate temperature in 12,000litre stainless steel tanks, then 10% of the wine goes through malolactic fermentation in new French oak barrels of 300 litres, which resulted in a softer mouthfeel. 20% of the wine was aged for four months in French oak barrels of 300 litres of first, second and third use, while the balance was aged in stainless steel tanks for four months.

Style: medium bodied, dry

Maturity: drinking well now but will keep