Tasting Notes
This one's all about instinct. The winemaker picked at night to lock in freshness through a hot, dry 2022. The fruit went into amphora instead, whole bunches down the bottom and destemmed berries up top, left to ferment away almost carbonically for 41 days before a gentle basket press into seasoned Hermitage barrels. Two years of ageing later, here it is, a proper reflection of the vineyard and a winemaker trusting his gut. - Pete L
Bendito Destino is the project of sommelier Terry Kandylis, established in 2020 after he discovered a collection of abandoned old vineyards around Canalejas de Peñafiel in Ribera del Duero. The vineyards sit at up to 925 metres and are predominantly 80–100+ year-old bush vines, with Tempranillo, Garnacha and Bobal interplanted with white varieties including Albillo Mayor, Jaén Blanco and Malvasía Riojana. Rather than imposing the powerful, heavily extracted style often associated with Ribera, Terry takes inspiration from Burgundy, farming organically and using spontaneous fermentation, whole bunches, gentle extraction and larger-format oak. Many of the wines are traditional field blends, with the varieties harvested and fermented together as they grow in the vineyard. It’s an exciting, distinctly modern project built around preserving some remarkable old vineyards and allowing their individual character to come through.
| Product Type | Wine Red Other Varietals & Blends |
| Volume | 750ml |
| Country | Spain |
| Region | Ribera del Duero |
| Sub Region | Ribera del Duero |
| Winemaking Practices | Minimal Intervention |
| Vineyard Practices | Organic/Biodynamic |