2022 Bendito Destino Albillo Mayor Baños El Arenal

$225.00

Bendito Destino cultivates a rare plot of 100+ year-old goblet-trained Albillo vines in Baños de Valdearados, owned by three young brothers. In 2022, they produced just two barrels of Albillo, a wine with exceptional density, vibrant acidity, and a low pH of 3.12, offering elegance and character. Planted in 1910, the single-vineyard Albillo thrives in pure limestone soil at 920 meters altitude, with an east-facing orientation. Spanning only 0.3 hectares, this vineyard is truly special. Frosts in 2023 and 2024 prevented further production, making the 2022 vintage even more treasured.

12 in stock

Luis Gutiérrez, Wine Advocate

One of two whites sourced from different places, the 2022 Albillo Mayor El Arenal comes from a centenary plot in the village of Baños de Valdearados in the province of Burgos. It underwent foot stomping, “browning” the juice, then was basket pressed and settled in a stainless steel tank before fermenting spontaneously in second-fill barrels.

There was no bâtonnage and no racking, and the wine spent 24 months in second-fill François Frères barrique. It comes in with 12.8% alcohol, a pH of 3.12 and 6.01 grams of acidity. This is darker in color, more Meursault, with a Tondonia-like twist, more powerful and rich and a little oaky still. This comes from the vineyard with sandy soils (hence the name, as “arena” is the Spanish word for sand). 2022 was super warm and dry, and the wine reflects that. The palate shows marked chalkiness. This is more powerful but keeping the minerality and the freshness. 570 bottles produced. It was bottled in August 2024. This plot was affected by frost in 2023 and 2024, so they couldn’t produce the wine those years. 94 points

Mike Bennie, The Wine Front

Ribera del Duero through a lens of fine wine, and a newish producer reaching for the stars. Old vine albillo here, and sent to some fine oak. Seems like shy of 600 bottles made.

It leads with soft, creamy and spicy wood, some saline minerality, a good deal of nuttiness with cinnamon poached pear, caramel citrus notes, baked apple pie, vanilla and some faint, amontillado sherry notes. It’s got power and concentration, richness and length. A very serious white wine in the vein of prestige Burgundy. 93points