Old grape vine in Rioja, Spain
The tiny, precious hands of the little girl were shaking as she clung to the trunk of a young Tempranillo grape vine. Her grandmother guided the dirt into the hole, securing the new vine’s place in their family’s lineage. The process, a time-honored tradition shared from grandmother to granddaughter, was both a journey through the past and an investment in the future. The girl appreciated the strength and gentleness in her grandmother’s weathered hands, a testament to years of laboring in the vineyard and nurturing her family. She aspired to inherit these superhero-like attributes, epitomized by her amazing grandmother.
Old vine in black and white
In 1882, the wine region of Rioja, Spain, witnessed a sudden rise in wine sales due to an unfortunate circumstance. The vineyards in France were severely affected by a crop pest, phylloxera, which led the French producers to turn to the Spanish wines of Rioja. Taking advantage of this situation, the families of Rioja increased the production of their beloved native Tempranillo red grape variety. The grandmother narrated these exciting times to her little granddaughter, sharing stories of their ancestors’ hard work finally gaining recognition. She also instilled hope of a brighter, prosperous future that wouldn’t be just a mere dream, but her granddaughter’s reality.
By the year 1893, the pest phylloxera had reached Rioja, attacking and feeding on the roots of the cherished Tempranillo grape vines. This had a dire impact, stunting the growth and killing some of the vines. With this devastating event, the hope for the region nosedived. A young lady of 18 years was left to herself as the lone guardian of their small vineyard following the death of her grandmother from immense stress. Faced with the likelihood of having the vineyard replaced with grain plantations by her parents, she pleaded to no avail for the preservation of a cherished vine she’d planted with her grandmother, her only vivid memory of time spent with her. A local young man, who’d shown interest in her for years, stepped in during this crisis to console her, eventually asking her to marry him and move to Madrid for a shot at better opportunities. Overcome by grief and disappointment, she accepted his proposal and went to Madrid, dousing the hope of ever returning home.
In the meantime, a man by the name of Ramón Bilbao from Etxebarri, a small town located around 60 miles north of Haro, the major town in Rioja, made the move to Haro to set up his own business. Risky as it was owing to the previous devastation from phylloxera, he decided to open a grain warehouse as well planting vines in the year 1914.
Entry into Ramón Bilbao estate
Following the death of Ramón in 1929, five years after the establishment of the winery Bodega Ramón Bilbao, his ambition was fulfilled by Enrique, his son. Enrique successfully continued his father’s legacy, turning Bodega Ramón Bilbao into a successful wine producer in Rioja which celebrated its 100th anniversary. The winery not only owned its vineyards, but also worked hand in hand with multiple-generation grape cultivators in the area to broaden their grape source base to a wide range of small plots. Notable among these are their 80 to over 90 year old Tempranillo grape vine plots. Their wine, Mirto, stands as the perfect showcase of this beautiful collaboration.
Harvesting the grape bunches by hand
The first vintage of Mirto was in 1999, when the technical and general director, Rodolfo Bastida, joined Bodega Ramón Bilbao. He had been walking through the vineyards with a local grower in the sub-region of Rioja Alta, discussing the 1999 vintage, and the grower said to him, “Año de mirto año de vino,” which translates into English, “year of myrtle, year of wine.” Then he pointed to all the myrtle plants growing on the edge of the plot. It is a local expression that means thriving myrtle plants are an excellent sign for the vines and when the myrtle is great, the wine will be great. So Rodolfo decided to make a 100% Tempranillo wine sourced from multiple old vine plots and call it Mirto and the 1999 Mirto was a lovely wine out of the gates and after many years of cellaring, still impresses.
Mirto is just one of the projects that Rodolfo is spearheading as Ramón Bilbao founded a winery in 2019 called Lalomba (translating to hill), which is devoted to the exploration of a single vineyard estate called Lalinde which is located on a hill in the most eastern sub-region named Rioja Oriental. A section of the vineyard makes an ultra-premium rosé wine that is a field blend of the local red Garnacha grape and the white Viura grape made from vines that are almost half a century old. It makes a concentrated rosé wine with lots of freshness and minerality that improves with age.
Rodolfo Bastida
Rodolfo, a Rioja native, stands as the third generation in his family to follow the path of winemaking. He feels a sense of completion in spending the greater part of his time in the vineyards, reminiscent of the 1800s when local winemakers resided amongst their vineyards. With the advent of professional wineries, a shift occurred. His grandfather, who like many others, spent his days in labs, wearing a white coat, rigorously testing samples to ensure the marketability of the wines. His father split his time between the lab and the vineyards, marking a resurgence of appreciation for winemaking as a symbiosis between tradition and technology.
The narrative shifts back a century, to a young woman who parted with her roots in Rioja during the late 1800s in pursuit of her destiny. By 1938, she was already a grandmother, a widow amidst the throes of the Spanish Civil War, left alone to fend for her daughter and granddaughter. In a desperate plea for help and connection, she seeks to journey back to her roots, sending word to her estranged parents through a friend headed to Rioja.
Returning to her childhood home, she is greeted by her parents who have revived their connection with the land, replanting their vineyards. Their actions speak volumes, as they take her through their emotions and day-to-day lives without exchanging a single word. The poignant moment arrives when the mother invites her daughter and granddaughter to plant grapevine saplings with her, welcoming them back into the cradle of family tradition without a word of reproach. On this day, forgiveness goes unsought.
The connective threads of these narratives weave through the vineyards that Rodolfo Bastida treads daily, shaping the wines he crafts for Bodega Ramón Bilbao. They are tales that commemorate the generations who came before him while driving his mission to honor their stories.
Lineup of Ramón Bilbao Mirto wines
Lalomba by Ramón Bilbao
2017 Lalomba rosé wine by Ramón Bilbao
2017 Lalomba, Finca Lalinde, Monte Yerga, Rioja Oriental, Rioja, Spain: A blend of 90% Garnacha and 10% Viura from the single vineyard estate named Lalinde. A stunning rosé with a pale pink color with highlights of copper with grapefruit and lemon zest aromas with creamy lemon meringue and candied violet flavors on the palate with bright acidity and intense minerality.
2022 Lalomba, Finca Lalinde, Monte Yerga, Rioja Oriental, Rioja, Spain: This unique rosé is a blend of 90% Garnacha and 10% Viura. It hails from Lalinde, a vineyard estate perched on the slopes of Yerga mountain range. The wine dazzles with its smoky minerality, an aromatic bouquet reminiscent of wildflowers, and delicious flavors of mixed berries and juicy, white peaches. It leaves a refreshing aftertaste, hinting at the sensation of wet river stones.
Mirto by Ramón Bilbao
1999 Ramón Bilbao ‘Mirto’ Villalba, Rioja Alta, Rioja, Spain: This complex wine is made entirely of Tempranillo. It is sourced from vineyards around the village of Villalba, near the town of Haro. These vines are approximately 70 years old. The nose is multi-layered, featuring smoldering cigar, fresh tobacco leaf, a touch of bacon fat, and broken earth. Your palate is greeted with rich blackberry flavors entwined with exotic spice, all smoothed out by very fine tannins.
2006 Ramón Bilbao ‘Mirto’ Villalba, Rioja Alta, Rioja, Spain: This variant also 100% Tempranillo and drawn from the same vineyards around Villalba village, only this time, the vines are closer to 80 years of age. The nose is delighted by beautiful fruit aromas tinged with hints of licorice and fresh herbs. The palate succumbs to the fleshy flavors of black cherry fruit coupled with a broad body.
2010 Ramón Bilbao ‘Mirto’ Ábalos, Rioja Alta, Rioja, Spain: 100% Tempranillo. It comes from plots in the village of Ábalos near the town of Haro with old vines around 80 years old. Wafting notes of espresso and cocoa nibs entice with its delicious aromas, plush texture, generous fruit flavors, and complex cigar boxes and tar notes.
2016 Ramón Bilbao ‘Mirto’ Cuzcurrita, Rioja Alta, Rioja, Spain: 100% Tempranillo. From plots in the village of Cuzcurrita near the town of Haro with old vines over 90 years old. An enchanting bouquet of violets on the nose with delectable blueberry tart flavors on the palate with very silky tannins that are finely sculpted and has a long, flavorful finish.
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