Rodolfo Bastida
Riojano Rodolfo Bastida oversees the production of many millions of bottles of wine across Spain, from Rioja to Rías Baixas and Rueda. Consistency and commercial appeal have to be key features of his work for Ramón Bilbao, so it may seem odd to be including him in a list of (fairly) small production creatives. However, Bastida firmly qualifies as a renegade as his focus often takes him outside the narrow straitjacket of his successful brand. While both company management and wine drinkers may not want him to deviate from the established path, Bastida is busily studying vineyards at altitude in the Monte Yerga zone of Rioja Baja/Oriental, to determine their soils and fruit profiles. He and his team are also developing their investment in Garnacha, as that variety becomes increasingly fashionable.
‘Bastida is busily studying vineyards at altitude in Monte Yerga to determine their soils and fruit profiles’