Bodegas Bhilar Lágrimas de Graciano 2024, Rioja DOCa, Organic

Lágrimas de Graciano is a rare single-variety Graciano from Bodegas Bhilar, the biodynamic family estate of David Sampedro and Melanie Hickman in Rioja Alavesa. Graciano is a traditional Rioja grape that ripens late and is temperamental in the vineyard, so it is usually used only in small amounts to add colour, freshness and perfume to blends. Here it gets the spotlight. The grapes are fermented with native yeasts in concrete vats, and the wine then rests on its lees in concrete for around six months before bottling, without oak, to keep it lively and true to the grape.

Bodegas Bhilar Lágrimas de Graciano is vibrant and aromatic. Expect violets, liquorice root and a herbal, eucalyptus lift on the nose, with dark berries and red fruit on the palate. It is fresh and bright, with fine tannins, a hint of spice and a refreshing, slightly wild character.

Serve it with roast pork or chicken, lamb chops, meaty fish such as tuna, pizza or tomato-based dishes. Serve at around 15–16°C. It is drinking well now and will keep for 3–5 years.

Bodegas Bhilar is a small, family-run winery in Rioja Alavesa, run by winemaker David Sampedro and his wife Melanie Hickman. Bhilar is the Basque name for their home village of Elvillar, where limestone soils run through three valleys between the Sierra de Cantabria and the River Ebro. Their 9.5-hectare estate is farmed biodynamically, with old vineyards worked by hand and soil worked by horse. The winery is solar-powered and partly underground, and they use cement tanks to keep fermentations cool and the wines pure. Alongside their Rioja wines, Bhilar works with old-vine Garnacha in northern Navarra. The Lágrimas range shows their style at its most direct: fresh, characterful wines without heavy oak.