WINES WITH A TRUE SENSE OF PLACE
Badiola is located in the heart of Rioja Alavesa, one of three sub-regions within Rioja. Badiola offers village and single vineyard wines that display the freshness, elegance and depth of flavours which distinguish the great wines of Rioja Alavesa.
Badiola cultivates over 300 parcels of extraordinary vineyards, on the slopes of the Sierra Cantabria. These vineyards are predominantly located in the villages of Villabuena de Alava, Leza, Samaniego, Laguardia, Navaridas and Baños de Ebro. The average age of the vineyards is 50 years old, and many were planted in the 1920s, 30s and 40s.
The quality and diversity of genetic plant material in Badiola’s vineyard parcels contributes to the complexity of the wines, as well as to the differences between villages. Vineyards are on hillside slopes or terraces on soils with a high percentage of limestone, a characteristic that sets Alavesa apart from the rest of Rioja, together with a higher altitude and vineyard age.
The ultimate aim of Badiola is to create wines that showcase the different nuances of excellence that exist between the great villages of Rioja Alavesa, and truly express their origin in the glass.
2018 VIURA DE CABEZADAS
Made from high-quality fruit from hilltop (“cabezadas”) vineyards on limestone soils, without any use of oak.
Fresh and subtle nose, pure aromas of stone fruit with a touch of white flowers and matchstick. Light and crisp on the palate, yet with good fruit concentration and a refreshingly dry, slightly mineral finish.
“A delicate, straightforward herbal aroma, not unlike sauvignon blanc, with a trace of chopped parsley. The palate is light-bodied, subtle and delicate, dry and clean at the finish, the flavour fresh and straightforward. Very enjoyable.”
Huon Hooke – The Real Review
2018 LADERAS TEMPRANILLO
“Deepish purple/red colour, youthful and bright. There are sweet ripe plummy aromas, the fruit driving the wine. Good intensity and vitality, the tannins firm and supple, with good balance and ample length. A very smart tempranillo, upright, bold and well priced”.
Huon Hooke – The Real Review
LAS PARCELAS
2018 BLANCO (Viura)
Juicy and refreshing on the palate, with real poise and length and a chalky, mineral finish. The quality of the fruit shines, showing how interesting old vine Viura can be, without needing any oak aging.
A serious, delightfully delicate, dry white wine that is ready to drink, but will keep for another three or four years.
2019 TINTO (Tempranillo)
Shows pure and intense primary aromas of dark cherries and black berries with a hint of violet and clove. Medium bodied, with remarkable complexity and fruit concentration. The quality of the fruit shines, displaying the typical character of cooler climate Rioja Alavesa, without being masked by excessive oak aging.
The intense fruit is beautifully balanced by fresh acidity, chiselled, chalky tannins and a long, mineral finish. A good match for grilled meats, hard cheeses, pasta and rice dishes
VINOS DE PUEBLO
Each Vino de Pueblo is made exclusively from vineyard plots in their individual village with the aim of reflecting the notable differences in character among the great, historic wine villages of Rioja Alavesa.
2018, the first vintage at Badiola turned out to be ideal to start showcasing the differences between the villages.
A cool, rainy growing season led to a late harvest and fresh, delicate, aromatic wines that allow the terroir to shine through.
Regulations in Rioja stipulate that village wines must come from the same location where the winery is physically built hence Badiola has come up with some ingenuous names to identify these wines.
L3Z4 (LEZA) 2018
Leza tends to produce a very structured wine. Vineyard parcels are higher than in Villabuena, closest to the Sierra Cantabria, on average 600m. The mesoclimate is cooler and more humid, leading to later ripening and more dense, inky, muscular tannins. The fruit profile tends towards darker fruit, black cherries and a distinct herbal complexity, reminiscent of thyme and rosemary.
L4GD4 (LAGUARDIA) 2018
Laguardia is perhaps the most charming of the villages. Vineyard parcels are high, on average 640m, but with more exposure and open to the Ebro valley. Ripening tends to be the earliest among the villages and the wines are the most elegant and perfumed. Laguardia also is the most approachable and gastronomic wine, due to its lighter, velvety tannins and juiciness on the palate. The aromatic profile is always lifted, delicate and floral, reminiscent of wild strawberries and violets.
V1BN4 (VILLABUENA) 2018
Villabuena tend to be a perfect example of the ideal, middle-weight, highly drinkable, yet extremely age-worthy Rioja Alavesa. Vineyard parcels are on hillsides, around 500m in average altitude, well protected by the Sierra Cantabria. Ripening is later than in Laguardia but earlier than in Leza, giving the most beautiful balance between freshness, elegance and good fruit concentration. Badiola Villabuena shows precise and pure berry aromas, finely grained tannins and an amazing flow on the palate, even when young.
