94pts Vinous

The 2020 VIBN4 Viñas Viejas is 100% Tempranillo sourced from Villabuena in Rioja Alavesa. This garnet-red wine with a purplish sheen aged in concrete and foudres. It presents nuanced aromas of blackberry and blueberry, accompanied by hints of violets and balsamic notes. On the palate, it is dry, intense and juicy, with an infusion-like mouthfeel supported by compact, fine-grained tannins. This expressive red lingers on the palate with its delineated flavors. Interestingly, its name subtly references the place without explicitly stating it, adhering to the labeling regulations in Rioja.

93pts James Suckling

Complex nose with a nice touch of balsamic to the dark fruit, peppery spices and lavender. Juicy and firm, with a full body and a long, broad finish full of fruit. The tannins are a bit grainier and more present in the 2020 than they are in the 2021, but they are still quite fine and silky. The quality of fruit is high. Drink or hold.

Tasting Notes

This wine is a perfect example of the ideal, middle-weight, highly drinkable, yet an extremely age-worthy Rioja Alavesa. It shows precise berry aromas, finely grained tannins, and an amazing flow on the palate, even when young. 

About the Wine

Bideona’s village wine series is intended to showcase the differences in character among the great, historic wine villages of Rioja Alavesa. This series also highlights a senseless regulation of the Denominación de Origen, which allows the use of a village name by the location of the winery – the building – and not the vineyards. Despite having full traceability of each vineyard parcel, Bideona cannot legally use village names on the labels. As a clever workaround, they have substituted all village names with acronyms that they have registered as brands. Thus, ‘Villabuena’ becomes V1BN4. This Tempranillo field blend comes from 50-years-old vineyards at 1,640 feet above sea level in the Villabuena de Álava village. This village is protected by the Sierra Cantabria and ripens later than Laguardia, finding that balance between freshness, elegance, and good fruit concentration.

Organic

Vegan