Sometimes, patience is well rewarded. This is the case here, especially that we are the only ones outside Spain that are lucky enough to have access to some of those wines.
Luis has been working very hard in the past few years, expanding the number of vineyards he maintains and significantly improves. His love of old vineyards in need of rehabilitation undoubtedly causes him some headaches, but the rewards are visibly well worth it, especially when even the toughest critics agree the wines are impressive.
Also new from Luis and his friend Gonzalo Celayeta is an expansion of the Kimera project with two “espumosos ancestrale”, or pet-nats as they are commonly known (“pétillants naturels”). You’ll be blown away.
As it is often the case, the quantities are very small, so order your cases without delay.
If you follow our Facebook or Instagram pages, you have surely seen the numerous pictures of bottles you might not have been familiar with. In fact, it is an exceptional month for barbuVINS with twelve new wines in stock. Our website is up to date with the description of the new products. Cheers!
In a recent play at the Inifinitheatre, artistic director Guy Sprung decided to put to good use empty bottles of Phincas by Bodegas Bhilar.
Thanks to Guy and Tracie for being supportive clients of barbuVINS!
Conversion
written by Alyson Grant
directed by Guy Sprung
Infinitheatre (From February 6th 2018 to February 25th 2018)
Starring Diana Fajrajsl, Timothy Hine, Mike Payette and Denise Watt
Located south-west of Zaragoza in Aragón, Pago Aylés started as an agri-food project in 1994 when the estate was acquired by the present owners. They purchased several contiguous properties that had belonged to the clergy and the nobility since the Middle Ages, thus becoming one of the biggest privately-owned estates in the Aragón region (north eastern Spain). The property whose perimeter is fenced to meet Pago regulations, now exceeds 3,100 hectares.
Pago Aylés is not only a winery; it is a well-defined territory where nature and wine coexist in a very peculiar way. It has its own characteristics that differentiate and distinguish it from other surrounding estates. Thanks to the breeding and restocking of native endangered species, the European Union has the estate in the Natura 2000 network as a Special Protection Area for Birds (ZEPA in Spanish).
The holistic approach to vine growing and grape production has always been much more than a production process. The management of operations and wine production aim to blend traditional cultural practice, the landscape, the flora and fauna that shape these lands giving fruition to such excellent and original wines.
The vineyards have a unique location as they are boxed in between the northern border of the Sistema Ibérico and to the north, the Ebro river and the Desierto de los Monegros.
Because of the geographical location, the climate at Pago Aylés is also rather unique and differs from the rest of the region. With an average annual rainfall of 350 mm (in comparison, a desert is defined at 250 mm maximum annually while Bordeaux receives 945 mm annually), the region is defined as having a continental climate with extreme temperatures which reach 38ºC in summer and fall to -8ºC in winter. The very cold wind coming from the north helps to keep the humidity low and the vine rather healthy.
Unfortunately, this also means that grape growers and farmers must fight against hail, strong winds and excessive summer heat. In addition, drought can affect the size of crops. The temperature contrasts between day and night (diurnal variation) help to give the grapes their characteristic intense flavor. The night harvesting helps retain a good acidity, especially that the design of the property allows to bring the grapes inside the winery in less than 15 minutes after harvesting.
Given the harsh, albeit cooler conditions due to higher altitude (500m), dominant winds from the adjacent Mount San Pablo, not much grows without irrigation even with the nearby Ebro river. To palliate the hydric deficit that commonly affects this area, two huge rain water retention basins have been built. One of the pictures shows the extensive damage caused by hail where the tarp or membrane must be replaced.
With the unique terroir of the property and a desire to raise the bar, the Ramón family decided to commission a geographical and zoning study to the Polytechnic University of Madrid and another report from the University of Zaragoza in order to determine if the winery would meet the laws introduced in 2003 (“Ley 24/2003”) that defined the concept of a Vino de Pago, or Estate Wine.
Those so-called Pago wines take their name because they belong to a delimited enclave -a “Pago”- whose soils and climate have their own characteristics that differentiate them from other adjacent properties. Pago Aylés obtained its designation in 2010. Ever since, it had to adhere to strict criteria in order to maintain its designation.
Here is an excerpt of those criteria included in the publicly available terms and conditions set out by the Spanish Ministry of Agriculture:
The actual alcoholic strength by volume has been set depending on the wine profile (e.g. between 13.5% and 14.5% vol (± 5%) for ‘Tres de 3000’. (±5% of 13.5% is ± 0.675% units)
Total sugars is defined by wine type (e.g. Less than 4 g / l (± 5%) for ‘Tres de 3000’)
Total acidity (tartaric acid) will be between 4 and 7 g / l.
Volatile acidity (acetic acid) is defined by wine type (e.g. less than 0.90 g / l for ‘Tres de 3000’).
Total sulfur dioxide will be less than 90 mg / l (± 10%) for rosé wine and for ‘young’ and ‘barrica’ reds, and less than 100 mg / l (± 10%) for ‘Tres of 3000’, which is the limit for “biological” wines.
Vine culture:
Planting density of 3,300 vines per ha (considered optimal low density)
Vine training: Cordon de Royat double
Bud density: maximum of 40,000 par ha (requires green harvesting)
Irrigation controlled in three phases depending on the growth cycle. For instance, no irrigation is permitted in the 20 days prior to harvest unless the crop is at risk in a severe drought.
Irrigation from retention basins
Oenological practices
Reds: A pre-fermentative maceration will take place that will last from 5 to 7 days. Alcoholic fermentation will last from 10 to 12 days and it will continuously control the temperature, which in this case should be between 24º and 26ºC. It also will take daily control of the density of musts-wine.
Rosé: A cold film maceration will be done for 10 hours. Alcoholic fermentation will last from 10 to 12 days and in it the temperature will be controlled continuously, which in this case will be between 14º and 16ºC.
Maximum Yield, per hectare
8,000 kg of grapes.
56 hectoliters of wine
Some of these parameters might sound esoteric, so in comparison, most French AOC define the maximum production allowed in the range of 35 et 60 hl/ha. In champagne, the yield tends to vary between 10,000 and 13,000 kg/ha.
For Pago Aylés, the clay and calcareous (limestone) soil where Pago vines are grown differs significantly from what is found in other areas in the Cariñena region, enough that only a portion of the domain’s 80 hectares where vine is cultivated obtained the Pago designation. The Ministry actually defined the list of plots that meet the criteria and revisits the list frequently. The age of the vines (25-80 years old) and the valley climate are contributing factors to the quality of the wines produced at the estate.
At Pago Aylés, nature decides if the harvest will be better than the last, but everything has been done to ensure the terroir is allowed to express its full potential, including the use of pheromones to manage insect population, and most importantly, having banned the use of herbicides and pesticides.
I don’t know about you, but I feel like opening a bottle right now.
When we talk about scores in Quebec, that’s usually what we talk about: Hockey. Wine lovers also have a tendency to talk about scores. Scores are far from perfect. I’m not particularly keen on wine scores since they tend to be reducing the complex appreciation of wine to something very pragmatic, losing all feeling or emotions about a beverage meant to be enjoyed. On the flip side, I do agree with Jacques Benoit’s view that it gives an instant appreciation… as long as the reader knows the scale of the critic. I don’t mean if 17 is 17/20 vs. 17/100, but rather, what does a 17/20 for Mrs. Robinson equate to when reading Tim Atkin’s reviews that are on a 100-point scale?
Many wine writers have addressed this issue in the past and some, quite eloquently. Some even wrote books about the subject which has fueled discussions for a long time. I included some references below.
What else gets to me? I’m not particularly keen on lengthy detailed descriptions either. It drives me nuts to read about some of the descriptions, because I simply cannot relate to them. It’s a valid exercise but up to a point. Taken out of context, it reads like an inventory or a shopping list. When it comes to food and wine pairings, that’s something I won’t write about either although we could talk about it at length. It’s a challenge I particularly enjoy and that I’m not so bad at (ask Marie-Claude). It makes sense if the dish is the focal point of the discussion about wine pairing, not the other way around. I find it boring in writing, and too limiting and futile if initiated from the wine as there are too many factors involved (cooking method, preparation, condiments, accompanying ingredients, etc.) to make a potentially interesting pairing into a real miss.
Now that I represent wineries, I’m facing a challenge. How do I convince you, the buyer, that I picked great wines? I’m quite flattered by the trust my friends put into my wine selections, but there must be more than trust involved. Unfortunately, the third-party validation comes from the score. So, in all fairness to those who are wine critics and do this for a living because they are experienced and mostly, credible enough to be read time and time again, I will give them exposure and will share what they think, word for word… or score for score. I won’t translate their opinion either. Keep in mind, not all scores are created equal. Yet, if everybody seems to agree it a great wine, it is.
Here are a couple of reviews that recently stood out for Bodegas Bhilar.
Wine Spectator reviews of white Spanish wines, March 2017
BODEGAS BHILAR (Rioja White) Terca 2010 Score: 93 This distinctive white is rich and muscular, with light tannins and orange peel acidity supporting dried pear, blanched almond, tarragon and tea flavors. A powerful version of the traditional style. Drink now through 2022. 90 cases made. (Thomas Matthews)
Note: There are 24 bottles of Terca arriving in Quebec by July. You might want to reserve a few….
DSG VINEYARDS (Rioja White) Phincas Thousand Mils 2011 Score: 93 This forceful white shows grip and depth. Honeysuckle, orange peel and vanilla notes frame pear, tarragon and marzipan flavors, with floral and spice details on the finish. Firm acidity and light tannins lend this a muscular structure. Distinctive. Viura, Garnacha Blanca and Malvasia. Drink now through 2021. 90 cases made. (Thomas Matthews)
Note: There were only 24 bottles left of Thousand Mils, so I had Melanie promise she would keep a couple of bottles for my next visit at the winery. Once the next vintage is ready, I promise I will order some. For me anyway…
In his latest Special Report on Rioja where Tim Atkin does a very thorough review of the region, David Sampedro’s wines (Bodegas Bhilar) are real stand outs.
Selected as part of the White Wine of the Year: Terca 2010, Bodegas Bhilar
The list of wines from Bodegas Bhilar will soon be updated to reflect Tim Atkin’s reviews.
Call it experience… estimating the wine selling price with using the SAQ calculator tool is more guessing that anything else. This tool takes into consideration the exchange rate, transport, case format, alcohol percentage, location of the winery, etc.
The good news is that newbie here overestimated the price. Yep, you read well… when does it happen these days that people tell you it will be cheaper than planned. Think about this next time you pick up your new car.
Differences are rather important:
A: 21.50$ vs estimated 24.50$; E: 26.25$ vs estimated 34.50$; Très de 3000: 38.50$ vs estimated 53.00$; etc.