Rioja Blanco Barrel Fermented 'Gran Bohedal' Bodegas Bohedal 2023
Gran Bohedal Rioja Blanco is consistently one of the best white wines we stock. It is loved in restaurants all over Scotland and is a thrilling match with local Scottish seafood. The Viura grapes come from 90-year-old vines in a vineyard called Las Cruces which is outside the village of Brinas. These old vines produce a wine of great concentration and finesse which is fermented separately in three different types of oak barrel – French, American and Romanian for six months before being blended. The resulting wine is immensely complex and the balance between toasty coconut oak and peachy, zingy, limey, herbal fruit is world class.
Bodegas Bohedal is a small family winery based in Cuzcurrita del Río Tirón, 10 km from Haro, in the heart of La Rioja Alta. The first vines were planted by great grandad Pepe in 1917 and today his great grandchildren, Leire and Elisa, aided by their father run this superb operation. There is no delusion of grandeur at Bohedal despite the wines receiving fantastic reviews and awards. This is a family operation and there is a belief that their wines are meant to be drunk, enjoyed and loved at any time.
On top of the traditional styles of Crianza, Reserva and Gran Reserva they also produce a superb white which is aged in a mixture of French, American and Romanian oak. It is a magical wine in a quite unique style. To embrace modern times, they have also started bottling Graciano, Tempranillo and Garnacha from their top vineyards into single vineyard wines which express the grape varieties superbly.