Spain · Castilla y León

Bhilar

Bodegas y Viñedos Bhilar is a small estate in the Rioja Alavesa subzone of Rioja, focused on single-parcel wines from old-vine Tempranillo (and some Graciano) planted on the steep limestone slopes and clay soils of the Sierra Cantabria foothills near the village of Laguardia. The estate was founded by Dani García in the early 2000s with an ambition to produce site-specific Rioja from the 'Phinca' (local spelling) series of individual vineyard wines. At auction, the portfolio centers on the DSG Phinca series: Lali ($82), Abejera ($72), Phincas (a blend, $128), and Phinca Encanto Rufete ($60). The 2010 vintage appears consistently as the top mark across all cuvées — an excellent year for Rioja Alavesa structure and freshness. The Phincas cuvée at $128 is the highest-priced, representing the best-parcel selection. Bhilar's approach — single-parcel old-vine Tempranillo on limestone with minimal intervention winemaking — aligns with the new wave of Rioja producers who explicitly reject the traditional approach of multi-vineyard blending and American oak aging. The estate has attracted critical attention from Luis Gutiérrez (Wine Advocate's Iberian specialist) for the Phinca wines' precision and terroir expression.