Quality reaches new heights
High-altitude viticulture is helping Ramón Bilbao to produce its signature Riojas – and develop new styles
Climate change is a reality that few wine-producing areas can avoid. Rioja, which is traditionally known for its fresh and balanced reds, is not an exception. Determined to continue making fine, long-lasting wines, Ramón Bilbao is focusing its efforts on high elevation vineyards.
Although most vineyards in Rioja lie at around 400m above sea level, some vines in the appellation are planted right on the limit of cultivation, at elevations up to 800m. Conditions in these vineyards are generally extreme; ripening follows a very different pattern from lower-lying vineyards, producing grapes with unique characteristics.
With vines planted between 450m and 720m above sea level, Ramón Bilbao has spent years analysing and comparing data from plots at different elevations. These efforts are rooted in the company’s desire to preserve the Rioja Alta style of wines it has produced since its foundation in Haro in 1924, namely: refined, persistent and fresh.
Altitude imparts its own set of attributes to the grapes. The first and foremost is freshness. Diurnal temperature variations enable the grapes to ripen slowly and homogeneously, which means that vineyards can be harvested up to three weeks later than those on medium- or low-elevation sites. The grapes have higher acidity (and thus lower pH levels) meaning they’re capable of producing wines with cellaring capacity.
Sunlight intensity and high ultraviolet radiation levels at altitude also give the grapes thicker skins with more colour, anthocyanins and tannins. However the team at Ramón Bilbao has developed techniques to address this, including pre-fermentation macerations and low fermentation temperatures to preserve the floral aromas usually obtained in highaltitude vineyards.
Another quality factor associated with higher vineyards is excellent ventilation, which helps to reduce vine disease. Meanwhile the poor, shallow soils usually found at higher elevations are perfectly suited to grape cultivation, encouraging the vines to thrust their roots deep into the ground.
The Ramón Bilbao viticultural team has noticed the differences in grape quality across all of its high-altitude vineyards –
‘Ramón Bilbao Viñedos de Altura showcases the fresh and fragrant character of high-altitude wines’
regardless of the exact location and orientation of each plot. The producer’s vineyards include Villalba, located at 650m in the westernmost part of the DOCa Rioja; Lalomba, 100km away to the east along the Ebro River on Mt Yerga in Rioja Baja; and between them, La Pedriza in Tudelilla, planted at 650m-750m.
What do these high-altitude wines taste like? As well as including high-altitude grapes in its classic blends, Ramón Bilbao has also bottled them separately to create a new range of wines with lively flavours. The range includes Ramón Bilbao Viñedos de Altura, a blend of Tempranillo from Villalba and Garnacha from Tudelilla, which showcases the fresh and fragrant character of high-altitude wines. Meanwhile the Lalomba vineyard produces a crisp rosé blend of Garnacha and Tempranillo.
What’s more, Ramón Bilbao is also working with new high-elevation vineyards in an area with Mediterranean influence, with plans to release more high-altitude reds. It’s all part of the company’s ongoing commitment to producing characterful, balanced wines that are unique to their Rioja terroir.