Telmo Rodriguez – Valbuxán – Valdeorras 2021

Of Basque origin, but considering himself very close to French culture, Telmo Rodriguez studied wine at the Bordeaux Institute of Oenology, before completing internships with Cos d’Estournel, Jean Louis Chave and Trevallon. He also worked on the vinification of the family’s Remelluri estate in Rioja. Then, in 1990, with an investment of just a few thousand euros, he launched his own winery. He bought grapes to produce his first wines. It wasn’t until 1997, in the Rioja region, that he acquired his first plots of property. Paradoxical for someone who was eager to explore new regions.

One of Telmo Rodriguez’s main principles is to respect the Spanish tradition of gobelet vine-growing, as this method of vine-growing protects the vines from the extreme heat of the Iberian vineyards. He is fiercely opposed to the fashion of trellising vineyards and only buys vines that respect his ideal. Telmo also works in biodynamic viticulture, but with great common sense, he admits that he only does so out of respect for the land, and that the organic viticulture label is of no importance to him. The important thing is that the result is a balanced, tasty wine.