A 91+ Point Cult Rioja Producer with Framingham, MA History?!

A 91+ Point Cult Rioja Producer with Framingham, MA History?!

As part of Spanish Heritage Month, each Wednesday we’re turning the Daily Flash toward Spanish-speaking countries, highlighting a wine with Spanish roots and a story worth telling. This week might be our favorite yet.

Every once in a while, a wine crosses our path with a story that makes us stop and say, “Wait…what?” This is one of those wines.

Today, Bodegas Bhilar has become a cult favorite among serious Rioja drinkers, a tiny, fiercely independent estate in Rioja Alavesa whose biodynamically farmed wines have earned international attention and critical acclaim. But long before Bhilar was being talked about around the wine world, part of its story ran surprisingly close to home.

Winemaker David Sampedro was born and raised in Elvillar, the tiny Rioja Alavesa village known as Bilar in Basque. His family roots there run deep, and he has worked these vineyards since childhood.

His wife and eventual partner in the winery, American-born Melanie Hickman, met David in Madrid. The two married and, for a chapter of their life together, actually lived outside Boston. And the most uncanny part? According to their importer, David and Melanie were living near the importer’s parents in the Framingham area during those years! Small world!

So before the horses in the vineyards, before the biodynamic farming, before the scores and international attention, the couple behind one of Rioja Alavesa’s most intriguing small producers was living practically in our backyard.

Eventually, David and Melanie returned to Elvillar. And Bhilar was born.

The name itself comes from Bilar, the Basque name for David’s home village, with the “h” carrying forward a naming tradition from his earlier wines. When Melanie came to Elvillar and they began building their family together, David felt the project should no longer simply carry his own identity. It became Bhilar, a winery rooted completely in this one little place.

And they have done things their own way ever since. David began moving his vineyards toward organic and biodynamic farming long before it became fashionable in Rioja. In 2014, tractors were eliminated from the vineyards and horses were brought back to work the land. Their winery, completed in 2016, was built with sustainability at its core, including solar power and a partially underground cellar.

That uncompromising approach eventually caught the attention of the wider wine world. David was named Rioja Grower of the Year by Tim Atkin in 2020, and Bhilar’s wines have since drawn praise from major international critics.

Which brings us to the 2024 Bhilar Tinto. This is their village red from Elvillar, made from younger biodynamically farmed parcels surrounding the village. The 2024 blends 75% Tempranillo, 15% Viura and 10% Graciano, fermented with indigenous yeast and a portion of whole clusters before aging for 12 months.

Wine Advocate awarded it 91+ points, specifically noting how fresh the 2024 feels, with wild berries, flowers, aromatic herbs and spice followed by a juicy, medium-bodied palate and beautifully fine tannins.

This is not the heavy, oak-dominated Rioja many people grew up knowing. It is fragrant. Fresh. Savory. Mineral. Alive. Our team absolutely loves it, and our Spanish wine connoisseur Jess says it’s one of her favorite producers. She was entertained by the story as well!

And underneath all of that is the thing Bhilar has been chasing from the very beginning: Elvillar itself.

A tiny village in Rioja Alavesa.
A winemaker who grew up among its vineyards.
An American woman who became his partner in both life and wine.
A strange and wonderful chapter outside Boston.
And a winery that went on to earn an international following.

For our Spanish Heritage Month Wednesday series, it’s hard to imagine a better bottle: deeply Spanish in its roots, thoroughly modern in its approach, and with an unexpected little thread tying it right back to Massachusetts.

Sometimes the world of wine really is remarkably small. And this is exactly the kind of bottle we love finding for the Daily Flash.

Thank you, Arik Colbath from Charles River Winery, for bringing this to our attention! Oh, and food pairing? We think a tray bake of pimentón (smoked paprika) chicken thighs, crispy potatoes, and a green veg of your choice!

2024 Bodegas Bhilar Tinto · Rioja Alavesa
91+ Points, Wine Advocate
Regular Price: $29.99
NET Price: $24.98 

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