Binario Tempranillo Blanco | Rioja, Spain

100% Organic and Biodynamic Tempranillo Blanco from Rioja.

The style is specifically lighter than other Tempranillo Blanco wines that are often designed for ageing.

Navarrsotillo, founded by brothers Andres and Ramon Serrano, is fully committed to Organic and Biodynamic agriculture in the DOs of Rioja and Navarra. In 1998 theirs was the second vineyard in Rioja to convert to organic growing.

They now have 70ha of vines in Rioja across 12 plots and 40ha in Navarra where the biggest at 18ha was the first to be run as bio-dynamic. The vineyards are located in Calahorra (Rioja Baga) and Andosilla (Navarra) - though in different regions they are just 10k across the DO divide.

The Binario label is run by sisters Ruth de Andrea (winemaker, who studied as a chemist at Sheffield University) and Ana de Andrea (manager) who work very closely – selecting grapes and renting facilities – with the Serrano family.

Grapes were hand-picked at night to retain freshness, destemmed and pressed into inox where there is a natural fermentation on the skins for 7-10 days at 17ºC with a further 10 days on the lees. A soft clarification and filtration; the wine is racked with a gentle stabilisation and fining with no additions except the SO2 allowable within Demeter Biodynamic guidelines.

The vines range from 20-40 years old and are cultivated using organic matter, both made from animal manure and pruned grapevine shoots, following all biodynamic principles and incorporating their homemade infusions and composts. These traditional farming practices help create nitrogen in the soils which lends for healthy regeneration and growth.

The climate is continental, heavily influenced by the Mediterranean; the soils are of limestone, clay and sand.

The bottle is presented without a capsule to cut down on waste.